Emily Chan
The wreck of a French steamship was recently discovered off the coast of Massachusetts. A team of divers from Atlantic Wreck Salvage, a salvage firm based in New Jersey, found the remains of the Le Lyonnais after a two-decades-long search.
Le Lyonnais was built in 1855. According to Jennifer Sellitti, a spokesperson for Atlantic Wreck Salvage, the 260-foot vessel was designed to transport cargo and passengers between New York and France.
It was equipped with sails, a horizontal steam engine, and an iron hull, representing what was considered state-of-the-art technology at the time.
“The 1850s was the beginning of the transition from sail to steam,” Sellitti said. “This was an early attempt by France to have its first successful passenger line.”
Unfortunately, disaster struck during Le Lyonnais’ return to France after completing its maiden voyage from Le Havre to New York.
In 1856, the ship collided with the Adriatic, an American sailing vessel built in Maine and headed for Savannah, Georgia.
The collision left a gaping hole in Le Lyonnais’ hull, causing it to sink several days later. Of the 132 passengers and crew members on board, 114 lives were claimed.
The remaining survivors were picked up by another ship. Meanwhile, the Adriatic was able to return to New England for repairs.
The American captain, Jonathan Durham, was arrested and placed on trial in France. In a statement, he said the Le Lyonnais “suddenly changed her course” around 11 p.m. on a starlit but “hazy” night, making it impossible to avoid a collision.
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