The James Craig was launched in Sunderland England on 18th February, 1874. From there her voyages began.

Her maiden voyage proved eventful from the start. Running short of fresh water on the passage round Cape Horn, she had to make an unscheduled stop at Rio de Janeiro. Having discharged the coal in Callao, Peru, she proceeded to Portland, Oregon, and loaded wheat and flour for the United Kingdom. The Captain's wife gave birth to a son on 29 November and he was named William Macleod Alexander as a memento of his birthplace. The journey back across the Atlantic proved very protracted, occupying 171 days. The vessel finally came to anchor in the Humber on 10 July 1875, but before berthing she parted her anchor cable and grounded on a sandbank. Fortunately she came off without assistance and was later towed into dock.

Arrival	Comments	Port	Departure	Cargo
	Left on maiden voyage		06.04.1874	Coal
04.06.1874	Put in for water	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
	First rounding of Cape Horn	Callao, Peru	26.09.1874
11.1874	Columbia River	Portland, Oregon Astoria, Oregon	17.12.1874	Wheat
06.06.1875	Called in for orders	Queenstown, Ireland
05.07.1875	Anchored	Deal, England	06.07.1875
10.07.1875		Hull, England