The Castilian was probably the largest vessel in the Canadian Atlantic trade when she was launched October 19 (20*), 1898, from the yard of Workman, Clark & Co., Belfast, Ireland. Her design provided for a first-class passenger, cattle and cargo vessel of about 8,500 tons cargo capacity. Her dimensions were: Length, 470 ft.; beam, 53 ft. 9 in.; depth, 36 ft. She was built in excess of registry requirements, had a cellular bottom, nine water-tight compartments and three steel decks running the entire length fore and aft. There was a permanent shelter deck with bridge deck above. The cabin passengers were accommodated in the bridge enclosure amidships, where the furnishings and fittings were unusually artistic. The main saloon had accommodation for 100 passengers at table at one sitting. The roof of the deck house was used as a promenade, giving an unbroken stretch of 150 ft. in length at a height of about 25 ft. above the water. Very pleasant quarters for the second-class passengers were fitted aft, including a dining room with seating capacity for 150 persons. There was accommodation for a large number of steerage passengers on the main deck, and extensive accommodation for the large crew carried. Extensive refrigerating and electric light plants were fitted, and all the navigating and deck appliances were of the most improved types. She was fitted with comparatively powerful engines, and on her maiden voyage out she averaged about 300 miles a day.

On the morning of March 13 1899, on her maiden voyage she was lost, when in a thick fog she went on the Gannett Rock Ledges, about 11 miles southwest of Yarmouth Light, Nova Scotia. She was mastered by Captain Richard Barrett and had touched at Portland, Me., on her way out. When the mishap occurred the weather was moderate and the sea comparatively calm. Considerable water was reported after she struck as coming into the forward compartments. The chief officer and a boat's crew were sent for assistance and made a landing at Little River, and from there information of the mishap was conveyed to Yarmouth, from whence three steam tugs immediately came out. There were about fifty passengers on the Castilian. These were all taken off, together with a number of the crew, although the officers and some of the crew stood by the ship. The course which the vessel was steering at the time is hedged about with many dangers in the shape of ledges and reefs, and there are strong currents and tides. It was reported at the time that the compasses were deranged and that this accounted for the vessel being about twenty miles off her course. Subsequently the vessel broke in two and was a total loss. She carried a general cargo valued at about $500,000 and many head of cattle.