The enthusiasm of the French was somewhat lessened by the subsequent accounts of the exploits of the submarine. It appeared that it was the battleship _Charles Martel_ which received the _Gustave Zédé’s_ torpedo, and that the latter, after her feat, crossed the bows of the _Jauréguiberry_ so closely that the last named had to turn in her whole length to avoid colliding with the submarine, which in war would have been destroyed. It was also stated that the success of the _Gustave Zédé_ was considerably minimised by the fact that Ajaccio was an “inviolate” port and that the enemy had no necessity to keep a sharp look-out when they knew themselves to be in absolute security, that the _Gustave Zédé_ belonged to the same side as her “victim,” and that the manœuvres did not commence officially until Wednesday night, whereas the incident in question took place on Wednesday morning. Certain cynical folk declared that the whole business was a stage-managed affair designed to gratify the popular affection the French had for the submarine, and to justify the naval department which had exploited the engine of war. The majority of the French papers, however, made the most of the _Gustave Zédé’s_ “splendid accomplishment,” and seemed to imagine that the British Admiralty were terror-stricken at the notion of what French submarines would be able to accomplish in war. The _Patrie_ published an interview a correspondent had at Toulon with Lieutenant Jobart, who was in command of the _Gustave Zédé_. The officer stated that the enemy were perfectly well aware of the departure of the _Gustave Zédé_ from Toulon in tow of the tug _Utile_. As Ajaccio was neared, Lieutenant Jobart dismissed the _Utile_, and lay on the surface of the ocean waiting for the appearance of the enemy. He soon saw two cruisers leave their anchorage, and he sank his vessel until they had passed out of sight. On coming again to the surface, he saw that the battleships were still at anchor, so he crept nearer, only sinking when he saw the big vessels moving, and after he had taken his bearings for an attack on the _Charles Martel_, and when the battleship passed over the _Gustave Zédé_, the torpedo was fired which struck the vessel, and thus warned the Fleet that a submarine was in the harbour. The lieutenant asserts that none of the look-out men on the warship observed him, but when the torpedo had been fired he rose to the surface, whereupon two shots were fired from the Fleet, and he sank at once, remaining below the surface until the last vessel of the Fleet was out of the harbour, and the submarine was beyond range. The _Journal_ stated that Admiral Gervais had indirectly warned the squadron of the participation of the _Gustave Zédé_ by recommending it to act as if threatened by an attack of submarines. The Paris correspondent of the _Times_ wrote as follows:—