A post-battle image shows damage so serious that HMS Conqueror was still towing Africa away from the shoals three days after Trafalgar. Her plans show twenty-six 24-pounders on the lower deck, twenty-six 18-pounders above, ten 4-pounders on the quarterdeck, and two 9-pounders on the forecastle. Although the 4-pounders look light, their quick firing cycle and grapeshot could clear an exposed deck. Launched in 1781 and broken up in 1814, Africa packed extensive combat service into a career of roughly thirty-three years.
Notable Point · 33:38-35:42
HMS Africa's battle damage, guns, and endurance
Africa's battered hull and mixed gun battery turn one Trafalgar participant into a compact lesson in ship design and fighting endurance.