“Trials to ascertain the habitability of the _Morse_ had already been made, and she has remained for eight hours under water, the crew experiencing no difficulty in breathing and no buzzing sensation in the ears, no excitation or inconvenience of any sort, and it was considered they could have remained double the time if necessary, the chemical analysis of the air showing also that it would have been possible to considerably prolong the trial if required.” M. Calmette, of the _Figaro_, who accompanied General André on the trial trip of the _Morse_, sent to his journal a long account of his experiences during the two hours which the trial lasted. He said the defect of the _Morse_ lay in the fact that the motive power was supplied by electric accumulators, the premature exhaustion of which might deprive the vessel of all means of action. A combination had, however, been effected, which enabled accumulators to be recharged on the spot. This system would be utilised on the submarines _Français_ and _Algerien_. As was already known, the commander directed the navigation of the vessel by means of a periscope, the extremity of which, resting on the surface, gave him—no matter at what depth—an absolutely faithful and distinct image of all that was taking place on the surface. The immersion was effected easily and without shock, in exactly seventy seconds. Breathing in a submarine was as easy as in an ordinary room. The vessel could remain in the water for sixteen hours without inconvenience to the occupants, and could rise to the surface very rapidly. The correspondent went on to say that after the trial the _Morse_, in conjunction with the _Narval_, went through a series of manœuvres lasting eight hours. The _Morse_ discharged a torpedo with remarkable precision by a process which was a profound secret. M. Calmette’s account furnishes interesting reading. He says:—