The Élise

Dampfschiff Élise IMG

The Élise was the first steam-powered ship to successfully cross the English Channel in 1816. On March 17, 1816, she set sail from Newhaven and headed for Le Havre. There she was greeted with great astonishment, for ocean-going steamships were a rare sight in those days. The Élise arrived in Paris on March 28 and served as a passenger ship for several years.

Arrivee de Londres a Paris le 29 Mars 1816 du Bateau a Vapeur l' Elise, print, 1814/1816, copperplate engraving: David-Ferdinand "the Elder" Ostervald (1763-1843); source: Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG), Bild-ID PAH0155, https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-140102, usage for non-commercial research allowed.