SS Cheribon (1882-1902) was a transatlantic ocean liner steamship built for Compagnie Nationale de Navigation by William Denny & Brothers in Dumbarton, Scotland. Compagnie Nationale de Navigation initially employed the ship as a military troop transporter to French Indochina. Subsequently, the Cheribon was commissioned as a passenger ship for Italian immigrants, offering a New York route, as well as a South American route. She also was used at various times in her career as a cargo ship. The Cheribon was retired in 1899 and sold to Captain W. T. Pitt. In 1901, Pitt sold majority share of her to E. Gerrad, while retaining one-third ownership and command of the ship. On April 11, 1902, while carrying a shipment of coffee, the Cheribon wrecked on a reef off of Punta Remedios near Acajutla, El Salvador. All crew were eventually saved, however, the ship eventually sank.
History
Compagnie Nationale de Navigation service
The Cheribon was ordered built by the Compagnie Nationale de Navigation. The company was founded in 1879 at Marseilles, and given a 25 year charter, with the French government, to operate. The company voluntarily liquidated in 1904 after the French government did not renew the charter. Compagnie Nationale de Navigation was created by Marc Fraissinet with the original purpose of establishing regular troop transport to Tonkin, which at the time was a French protectorate. The Compagnie Nationale de Navigation Tonkin service was also an important supply line for France during the Sino-French War (1884-1885). The Cheribon was launched in 1882 and immediately began service on the Marseilles-French Indochina line, transporting French soldiers before and during the war. By the end of the Sino-French War, the Compagnie Nationale de Navigation had procured eight steamers, along the Marseilles-French Indochina route, all between 2,900 and 3,700 in tonnage. With the war over, and France the victor, the company found itself with access tonnage and began diversifying its routes.
In 1886, the Cheribon inaugurated the new Marseilles, Naples, Algiers, New York City route. After the first transatlantic trip, Compagnie Nationale de Navigation permanently discontinued the Algiers service. From its inception, the New York service was part of the Italian diaspora. The route predominantly serviced impoverished Southern Italians from former areas of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, such as Calabria, Campania, Molise, Apulia, Abruzzo, and Basilicata. During these years, the Cheribon would transport Italian immigrants from Naples to New York and would return from the United States to Marseilles with shipments of pig lead. The Cheribon would service the New York route, at irregular intervals, until 1896. In total, she made twelve voyages along the New York service.
Compagnie Nationale de Navigation also pressed the Cheribon into service of the South American line. On September 26, 1887, the Cheribon was the first ship to be dispatched on the new Marseilles, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires route. The Cheribon serviced the route for three years, bringing Italian immigrants to South America. However, Compagnie Nationale de Navigation permanently discontinued the South America service in 1891, due to the financial crisis in Argentina that effectively halted immigration to the country.
With the termination of the New York service in 1896 and the South America service in 1891, the Cheribon returned to exclusive use of the French Indochina line, servicing Marseilles, Saigon, and Haiphong until 1899. Although, Compagnie Nationale de Navigation serviced the French Indochina line until 1904, the Cheribon was sold in 1899 as part of the liquidation, as the company made plans for dissolution with the approaching end of its government charter.