Colonial Despatches

According to this correspondence, Africa was a Royal Mail steamship, which James Cooper and family returned to Victoria on in 1858.

Africa was launched for the Cunard Line from Glasgow in July 1850, and took its maiden voyage, from Liverpool to New York, in October of the same year.1 It was 81 m long, 12 m wide and driven by both paddle and sail, which gave it a speed of 22 kmh.2 Africa could hold roughly 160 passengers, depending on their choice of class.3

• 1. S. Swiggum, Ship Descriptions - A, The Ships List.
• 2. Ibid.
• 3. Ibid.