''Pyroscaphe'' was an early experimental

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

built by Marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans in 1783. The first demonstration took place on 15 July 1783 on the river

Saône The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name deri ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. After the first demonstration, it was said that the hull had opened up and the boiler was letting out steam, faults common in early steamboats. In this case, it seems to have been easily repaired as the boat was said to have made several trips up and down the river. A month later, on 19 August, the boat carried several passengers who signed a witness protocol for a successful journey.https://www.exploralyon.fr/?p=548 The ''Pyroscaphe'' was propelled by a double-acting

steam machine A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a cylinder. This pushing force can be tr ...

and sidewheels, and was therefore a

paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses wer ...

Specifications

''(These figures are somewhat dubious, see .)'' * Length: 13 m * Beam: 4,5 m/14 ft 10 in * Displacement: 163t * Complement: 3

References

*''The Encyclopedia of Ships'', ed. Tony Gibbons, Silverdale Books, 2002, *''Steamboat Evolution; A Short History'', B.E.G. Clark, Fogdog Books, (Amazon) Steamships of France {{ship-stub Voyage de Balzac et Mme de Berny A Guérande en pyroscaphe. En ce printemps 1830, Balzac fêtait le succès des « Chouans », premier d'une longue série de 85 romans, et avait rejoint sa maîtresse Laure de Berny en Touraine. Elle lui proposa alors « le plus poétique voyage qui soit possible en France ». Le 4 juin, ils embarquèrent sur un pyroscaphe à Saumur, descendirent la Loire par Angers et Saint-Nazaire (seize heures de voyage), et de là empruntèrent la patache du voiturier Bernus, une sorte de malle-poste brinquebalante pour arriver à Guérande, autant dire au bout du monde.