A very famous ship, for Christians that is. May be familiar to others, but its most famous to Christians
Life[]
The Ville Du Harve was built in 1866 and sank in 1873. She was a passenger steamer/ with 3 masts.
The Napoleon III was originally built as a paddle steamer by Thames Ironworks, London (engines by Ravenshill & Salked, London) in late 1865 for the Compagnie Generale Transatlantic (French Line). She was a 3,950 gross ton ship, length 365.9ft with 45.9ft beam, straight stem, two funnels, two masts, iron construction, paddle wheel propulsion and a cruising speed of 11.5 knots.[4] There was accommodation for 170 first class, 100 second class and 50 third class passengers. Launched in November 1865, she sailed on her maiden voyage from Havre for Brest and New York on 26 April 1866. She made five round voyages on this service, the last commencing in August 1869.[1] In September 1871, she sailed from Havre to Tyneside in Northern England where she was lengthened to 421.7ft by A. Leslie and Company, Hebburn-on-Tyne and her tonnage increased to 5,065 tons. She was also fitted with compound steam engines and rebuilt with single screw propulsion, and the paddle wheel was removed. A third mast was also fitted and after completion of the works she was renamed Ville du Havre. Following sea trials, she recommenced her Havre – Brest – New York service in early 1873.[1]
Sinking and It Is Well With My Soul[]
The Ville Du Harve was destined for tragedy however. On November 22nd 1873, she collided with the clipper ship Loch Earn and sank in only 12 minutes. Commotion and chaos overtook panicked passengers. They started grabbing life preservers and trying to push lifeboats into the water. Unfortunately, these had recently been painted, and they were now stuck fast to the deck. Finally a few of them were yanked loose, and passengers fought desperately to be one of the few travelers to board those rescue boats.
Shortly after the collision, Ville du Havre's main and mizzen masts collapsed, smashing two of the liner's life boats and killing several people. The time for saving life was very short as the ship sank in less than 12 minutes, and finally broke into two pieces as she went.[8] Captain Robertson of the Loch Earn did all he possibly could to rescue the drowning and eventually 61 passengers and 26 of the crew were rescued and taken on board that ship. However, 226 passengers and crew perished. 4 of them were young girls of a broken man named Horatio Spafford. He remarkably wrote the famous Christian hymn It Is Well With My Soul just a few days later as he passed over the spot the ship sank as he headed to England to join his wife.