Saxon Prince was the first steamship to be built for James Knott, a successful owner of collier brigs.

[1] CS Swan & Hunter built Saxon Prince at Wallsend, launching her on 3 March 1881 and completing her that April.

[2] Her UK official number was 79247, her code letters were VLQW and Knott registered her in North Shields.

[2][4][5] On 20 October 1914 Glitra was en route from Grangemouth to Stavanger in Norway laden with coal, iron plate and oil when U-17, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Johannes Feldkirchener, stopped and searched her 14 nautical miles (26 km) west-southwest of Skudenes, Rogaland, Norway, in accordance with prize law.

Her crew was ordered into the lifeboat(s),[6] and once all were safely off the ship a German boarding party scuttled Glitra by opening her seacocks.