THE TESTING OF THE GUSTAVE SEDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE TESTING OF THE GUSTAVE SEDE.

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TIONS.

M. Lockroy (says the Paris correspondent of the fPali Mai} CJaieifce') com&u^ nicated to the 'Matin' the following act count of the torpedoing of the ironclad Magenta during the recent experiments with the submarine boat Gustave Zede. The Minister of Marine, who was on board the Magenta^ at the time, says:— 'The eyes of all on boarcl were .fixed on the sea; officers and men stood watching the crest of the w&ves, and every minute there were exclamations as someone fancied he had seen the submarine boat. We imagined we saw it everywhere, and it was nowhere. In point of fact, it was proceeding quietly, invisibly, towards ita mark. I 'The excitement of the crew was at I fever heat, and I thought of the tortures which the bravest men, the most self-possessed commanders, would suffer m the case of a real attack by this invisible adversary. Suddenly a precise and exact observation was made. The cupola of the Gustave Zede had just appeared 400 yards away, still abreast of us, notwithstanding the distance which we had covered. Immediately orders were issued. The guns were brought to bear on her, and the quick-firers depressed in her direction. The submarine boat was no longer there., She was hidden from our fire and from our view.":'

'A minute elapsed, though orders were given to the. engineers to put on steam, and the Magenta had gone some considerable distance in these.6o seconds. The Admiral and I, leaning over the railing of the bridge, saw approaching us with lightning speM an elongated body shining like gold. It was the torpedo of the Gustave Zecle. It struck the ship about four yards below the water-line and Was smashed on the iron armour, but if it had been : charged ' the Magenta would have been sunk.' _