Those who had been most insistent in arguing the value of submarine warships declared that the torpedoing of the _Charles Martel_ proved that instead of simply serving to defend the coast, a submarine could put to sea and assail the coasts of an enemy. After her “brilliant exploit” the _Gustave Zédé_ left Ajaccio at 6 o’clock one evening, and arrived at Toulon at 11 o’clock the following morning, her speed averaging 8 knots. A _Petit Journal_ correspondent at Marseilles said:— “I mentioned this morning that the _Gustave Zédé_ had arrived at 11 o’clock in the old port while still under warfare. I should like to call attention to the feat accomplished by this little boat. The _Gustave Zédé_ had not been perceived by any of the coast signal stations, although the sea was calm, and the pilot steamer the _Sentinelle_ went out to meet the tug _Utile_ without suspecting that the submarine was immersed near at hand, navigating under water. Its presence was shown above water only by the tiny tricolour flag, the size of a sheet of paper, just above the surface. The _Gustave Zédé_ entered the port and was moored at the quay among the other vessels without its presence being detected, save by reason of the little flag. This shows what service this submarine can render in time of war, and how natural and patriotic is the interest taken in it.” On July 27, 1901, during a sham fight at Toulon, the _Gustave Zédé_ was reported to have approached the _Bouvet_, on which were MM. Waldeck-Rousseau and De Lanessan, unseen, and to have fired a torpedo at the battleship whilst the Ministers and the Admiral were peacefully eating their dinners. Commenting on this “feat,” a correspondent of the _Matin_ said:— “About 5 o’clock in the evening the fleet arrived at the entrance to the Salins d’Hyères. The _Gustave Zédé_, which was lying under the shelter of one of the islands which close the Roads, at once got under way, and from the bridge of the _Bouvet_, M. Waldeck-Rousseau could see it plunge, and then make its way beneath the surface straight for the _Bouvet_, without deviating once. “When about three hundred yards off, the _Gustave Zédé_ launched a torpedo, which came towards the flagship in an absolutely straight line, showing that its course had been as admirably directed as it had been aimed. The _Bouvet_ was struck on the starboard beam, three yards below the water-line. All those who were on the bridge saw the torpedo strike the hull, and they even heard the sound caused by the shock, and felt the slight trepidation usual in such cases, for it needs very little to cause vibration on board ships constructed entirely of steel. “What is curious is that the torpedo, probably on account of its velocity, immediately after striking the _Bouvet_, glanced forward and was lost to sight. Thrown out of order by the sudden shock, it must have sunk to the bottom, for it has never been found.”