VENICE was built in 1878 by Robert Steele & Sons at Glasgow with a tonnage of 511grt, a length of 173ft 8in, a beam of 24ft 7in and a service speed of 9 knots.

She was delivered in April 1878 for Donald Currie's Cape Town to Durban service.

In 1888 she was sold to Donaldson & Sievewright of London without a change of name.

She was sold in 1902 to A. Borges of Lourenço Marques (Maputu) and renamed Lusitano for the Lourenço Marques - Suez Canal - Lisbon service but was hulked locally in the same year.