" Spartan was built in 1881 by J & G Thompson & Co. at Glasgow with a tonnage of 3555 grt, a length of 364ft 6in, a beam of 42ft 7in, and a service speed of 12 knots. Sister of the Trojan she was completed for the mail run in 1881 but transferred to the Intermediate service in 1889. In the Boer War she was used as a troopship and as a hospital ship. Surplus to requirements when Union Castle was formed in 1900 she was sold to A. Fragala of Catania, Sicily and renamed Fume. After a further two years service she was broken up in Italy in April 1902." Union Steamship Company

The Spartan was requisitioned at Southampton in October, 1899, and converted into a hospital ship. Much of her service in this capacity was the movement of sick and wounded from Durban to the base hospitals at Cape Town. Plumridge (1975)