The SS Ville du Havre was a French iron steamship initially launched as the Napoléon III in November 1865. Built by Thames Ironworks in London, she measured approximately 111.5 meters (365.9 feet) in length and featured a beam of 14.0 meters (45.9 feet). The vessel was constructed with an iron hull and was originally powered by paddle wheels, with engines supplied by Ravenshill & Salked, London. Her initial configuration included two funnels and two masts, enabling both steam and sail propulsion, and she was designed to carry up to 320 passengers across three classes: 170 first class, 100 second class, and 50 third class. The ship’s cruising speed was about 21.3 km/h (13.2 mph). In 1871, she underwent significant modifications at A. Leslie and Company in Hebburn-on-Tyne, where she was lengthened to 128.5 meters (421.7 feet), increasing her gross tonnage to 5,065 tons. During this refit, she was fitted with a compound steam engine and converted from paddle wheel propulsion to a single screw propulsion system, with a third mast added. Following these changes, she was renamed Ville du Havre, reflecting her service route between Le Havre, Brest, and New York City. Her service was focused on transatlantic passenger trips, making multiple voyages until her tragic sinking. On November 22, 1873, while en route from New York to Le Havre with 313 passengers and crew, she collided with the British clipper Loch Earn at approximately 2 a.m. in the North Atlantic. The collision caused the Ville du Havre to break apart and sink within 12 minutes, resulting in the loss of 226 lives. The ship was nearly broken in two, and chaos ensued as passengers and crew attempted to abandon ship. The Loch Earn, also damaged, was rescued by the American vessel Tremountain, and the survivors from Ville du Havre were transferred aboard her. The sinking marked one of the notable maritime disasters of the era, with survivors including prominent individuals such as Horatio Spafford, whose experience inspired the hymn "It Is Well with My Soul." The vessel’s tragic end underscores the perils of transatlantic crossings during the late 19th century and highlights the importance of maritime safety advancements following such disasters.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.