SAXON (3) was built in 1887 by Oswald Mordaunt & Co. at Southampton with a tonnage of 469grt, a length of 145ft 8in, a beam of 24ft 8in and a service speed of 9 knots.

She was delivered in December 1887 for the South African coastal service where she remained until 1895 when she was sold to Portuguese owners.

In January 1896, during the delivery voyage, she was wrecked on the coast of Zululand and, consequently, never saw service with her new owners out of Lourenço Marques.