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“In 1890 M. Barbey, Minister of the Marine, ordered the construction of the famous Gustave Zédé, to the designs of Engineer Romazotti. She was laid done at Mourillon’s Yard at Toulon under the name of Sirène, but during her construction the inventor of the Gymnôte died, and desiring to pay a last homage to his memory, the largest submarine boat in the world had her name changed to Gustave Zédé. The Gustave Zédé1 was launched on June 1, 1893, but defects were discovered as soon as she entered the water, and it was many years before the submarine carried out trials that were in any way successful. Her dimensions are as follows: --
In shape the Gustave Zédé differs considerably from the Gymnôte. Although cylindro-conical, the form of the latter boat is dissymmetrical, the stern half is in shape symmetrical like the first vessel but at the bows the keel line rises to meet the deck, almost to the water-line when the vessel is awash. A glance at the plan will make my meaning clearer. The framework consists of 76 hoops connected by longitudinal braces; on this are laid plates of Roma metal, of which the whole hull is constructed owing to its immunity from deterioration by the action of the sea. As in the Gymnôte the upper deck is flattened from quite near the bows to 50 feet from the stern, and in this deck are two entrance hatches and the conning-tower. The means of immersion and regulation of stability are identical to those employed on the Gymnôte and do not therefore require re-explanation. Instead of one reservoir in the centre, however, the Zédé has two. The water is expelled from the tanks by compressed air obtained through the action of two Thirion pumps each worked by an electric motor. The pumps also supply the air necessary for respiration and for the discharge of the torpedoes. Diving and steering are managed on the same principle as that employed by Gustave Zédé in his boat, the rudders being in a similar position just forward of the propeller. The propeller which projects from the stern point, is rotated by two electric motors connected to the same shaft; these motors, which were built by Sautter Harlé have an independent power of 360 H.P. and a combined strength of 720 H.P.2 They are six pole motors of the Thury type with separated excitation. They can be coupled singly or together to the propeller shaft to which they give 250 revolutions a minute. The power is stored in a battery of accumulators by Laurent-Cély; this battery, composed in the first place of 720 elements, weighed 130 tons, the combined weight of the motors is 27 tons. At the maximum power the two armatures are coupled in quantity under 300 volts and 1,800 ampères for the above mentioned speed of rotation. On account of defects in the accumulators 18 months was lost. For in the battery of 720 elements with 29 plates each, an electrical power was collected such as had never before experimented with, and it naturally required most expert operators to attend it. After a few days satisfactory work, however, short circuits were produced through the formation of pellicules of lead peroxyde which fell into the tanks. It was then decided to isolate the plates (which were reduced to 27) with magnets, the positive plates being covered with a magnetised lining. When the new battery had been installed on board the charging current was put on with the result that the stern of the submarine was almost blown to pieces and destroyed, a violent fire breaking out showing the impossibility of using such batteries. The only remedy was to reduce the cells by one half, and at last after nearly two years of scientific muddling the Gustave Zédé was able to go on her first trials; but her fine designed speed of 15 knots was now only 8 knots an hour. Another difficulty now cropped up. After being on the vessel a short time, her crew were all taken violently ill owing to the free discharge of large quantities of acid vapor throughout the hull. This matter was, however, speedily set right and with her wings clipped and reputation at zero the largest submarine boat the world had yet seen started to vindicate her character. But after her first trip, any remaining faith in her possessed by the French nation was shattered, and it was only a chance that the Gustave Zédé is not now on the scrap heap. For the moment she lost her buoyancy the submarine became unmanageable and her course had so much in common with the switchback that her poor crew were unable to keep their feet and were hurled hither and thither. This improved a little when they became accustomed to the eccentricities of their craft, but even then the 'yaw' was between 14 and 18 metres, or 46 to 60 feet. These variations she accomplished in long swift swoops and all the endeavours in the world would not keep her on a straight course for more than a few minutes at a time. The uneven torpedo-like course of the Gymnôte had been the cause of much comment and the much greater length of her big sister only accentuated the faults she had herself displayed. This ‘yawing’ although not dangerous where a sufficient depth of water existed would be absolutely fatal in a harbour or when wishing to pass under a ship which would of course be a frequent occurrence. After these preliminary trials many drastic changes were made. The batteries were removed and a new set of elements of greater capacity was installed, so that the multiplicity of the couplings and connections was much reduced. The canvas conning-tower with which the vessel had been supplied was also removed, a metal tower tapering off fore and aft being substituted. The movement of the Thirion pumps for regulating the water ballast was modified and lastly a new system of diving rudders was fixed, these being brought up to six in number, two forward, two in the centre, and two in the stern, i.e., three on each side of the vessel. With this new system of rudders the trials began again and to the surprise of everyone, that which had been put down as an absolute failure, proved a brilliant success, for the stability was now almost perfect, and the speed had increased to 12 knots on the surface owing to the change of the accumulators. When travelling with the top of the conning-tower just above the surface, the rest of the hull being submerged three feet, the vessel could be made to manoeuvre in any direction with perfect ease and surety. The difficulties which had beset the Gustave Zédé at the outset had been resolutely faced and after nearly four years of increasing labour, been overcome. The Gustave Zédé is a credit to the genius of France not so much for ‘being’ as for the way in which apparently insuperable difficulties were met and pushed aside. The metal conning-tower has a height of 1 m. 50 and is fitted with a périscope constructed by the firm of Sautter-Harlé. This périscope has an outer diameter of 364mm.; a total field of 27 degrees of which 20 degrees are above and 7 degrees below the horizon; an angle under which the upper part of the point of convergence of the rays can be seen of 3 degrees, a reduction of 1/9th and a distance from the image to the emerged part of the apparatus of 1 metre. The image obtained is examined by a rather complicated process by means of an eye-glass.3 This périscope has proved almost a failure, the image obtained being very distorted and indistinct. There is also an optical tube fitted. The gyroscope and compass are used here as in the Gymnôte for giving the course but both are untrustworthy, the compass especially since it is in a position where the magnetic attraction is unevenly distributed. The hull of the Zédé is luckily of non-magnetic metal. The armament consists of 3/18-in. White-head torpedoes, one of which is carried in the solitary tube in the bows. The opening of the discharge tube is closed with a tightly fitting conical cover and this is removed just prior to firing the torpedo. The rush of air through the tube forces out the water that has penetrated owing to the cap being open, and another torpedo can thus be inserted without the fear of getting flooded by a sudden inrush of water. The experiments carried out by the Gustave Zédé since her re-construction have been many, and all have been instructive as showing what a submarine can and cannot do. The best known of her trials is that in which she torpedoed the Magenta in Toulon Harbour. The following account of the attack by that talented naval student M. Lockroy is full of interest.4 ‘Exercise d’attaque du Magenta par le Gustave Zédé. ‘Les trois cuirassés Magenta, Neptune, Marceau, tirent sur le Gustave Zédé avec leurs pièces moyennes et légères. ‘L’exercise commence au signal à 3h.17. La torpille est lancée à 3h.28. La durée de l’attaque et du tir est donc de 11 minutes. ‘La torpille don’t la trajectoire est oscillant attient le Magenta dans la verticale de la tourelle avant bâbord. “Le Gustave Zédé a plongé à 3h.20 pour la première fois. A partir de ce moment, il a émergé cinq fois. La plus longue apparition a duré 1 minute 30 secondes. La plus coute 30 secondes. ‘La défènse connaissait la position initiale du sous-marin, ce qui était pour elle un avantage considerable. ‘Dans chaque exercise, le Gustave Zédé ne montrait que son kiosque.’ This concise account of the attack is of especial interest as showing that the successful firing of a torpedo is possible without disturbing the equilibrium of the submarine discharging it. That the attack was successful is borne out by the statement of the commander of the Gustave Zédé who wrote to M. Lockery as follows: ‘Aux termes de la dépêche ministérielle du 19 novembre, 1898, l’expérience devait porter principalement sur la possibilité d’utiliser l’appareil militaire du bêtiment et, à ce point de vue, il semble qu’on a constaté l’exactitude de l’opinion émise par la commission d’essais, dans sa séance du 3 novembre, 1898. ‘Si une escadre ennemie se présentait au large de Toulon ou tenait un coup de main contre les îles d’Hyères, le Gustave Zédé sortirait et aurait des chances de réussir à torpilles un ou plusieurs des bâtiments ennemis.’ No commander could speak in such terms unless he felt confidence in his vessel and I do not think his confidence is exaggerated, for I was myself a witness to the trials of the Gustave Zédé and was so struck by the undoubted success of the manoeuvering that from a disbeliever in the new arm, I have become an enthusiast. The ease with which the various evolutions were effected was astonishing, no sudden swerves or dives marring the even and steady course of the vessel. At a later trial the Magenta was again torpedoed whilst steaming at 10 knots an hour, a really remarkable performance. The Gustave Zédé which is attached to Toulon, made a trip to Marseilles, a distance of 41 miles, at an average speed of 6 miles an hour. The sea during this passage was very rough, but nevertheless it was accomplished without accident and without aid from the tug Utile which accompanied her, and on arrival she had still more than enough power to take her back again to Toulon. We now come to the culminating experiment of the Gustave Zédé, namely, her successful employment during the French Naval Manoeuvres of 1901. The details, however, of this occurrence are so mixed that fact seems to be hopelessly involved with fiction. On the evening of July 2nd the submarine, followed at some cables length by the Government tug Utile, left Marseilles, without the pilot service, whose look-outs are stationed on the quay, being able to perceive her or signal her departure. On Friday morning she appeared off Corsica and sinking beneath the surface evaded detection until she rose again to make observations in Ajaccio Harbour in the centre of the fleet ad not 200 yards from a battleship. The battleships were just leaving the harbour and according to a despatch5 -- ‘the presence of the submarine was not suspected until a curious shock was sustained and a white furrow was perceived on the surface of the sea. Then, two hundred yards away, a black cylinder, which was the optic tube of the submarine, was noticed. This sudden and unforeseen attack, which had been so skillfully conducted by Lieutenant Jobard, aroused general enthusiasm. … It appeared on the surface a few minutes afterwards, and saluted by light guns of the Charles Martel and Jauréguiberry it plunged again, but in crossing the course of the Jauréguiberry too near that battleship, it exposed itself, to certain destruction. The Jauréguiberry had to veer to the left to avoid this. In conformity with the plan and with reality the submarine was then pronounced to have been destroyed. But for the price of one battleship, twenty or more submarines can be built!! And brave and patriotic men ready to die for home and glory are never wanting. We must always remember this. The following is translated from another French paper:6 ‘The Gustave Zédé had not been perceived by any of the coast signal stations, although the sea was calm and the pilot-steamer 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 the 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. She was towed part of the way by the Utile, at least, so it was rumoured, but even so there is no doubt she successfully torpedoed the Charles Martel. Her claim on the battleship was disallowed, however, as Ajaccio was considered an impregnable harbour. This last claim has no value from a strategical point of view, since the mere fact of one telling a future enemy that Portsmouth, for example, is impregnable will not keep hostile submarines from entering, or trying to enter the harbour. On July 29th the Gustave Zédé attacked and torpedoed the Bouvet with M. M. Waldeck-Rousseau and Lanessan on board. This attack, however, was undoubtedly prearranged, and this being so, it is of little or no value. Still the Gustave Zédé has settled one thing which has been the subject of much dispute for a long time, namely, that it is perfectly possible for a submarine in a state of practical nullity as regards buoyancy, to discharge a torpedo without disturbing the equilibrium. Also the value of submarines just on the surface has been ascertained; even when quite close the Gustave Zédé was almost invisible and presented so small a target that it would require a gun crew trained by Captain Scott to hit it, and such crews are rare in our own Navy unfortunately, but luckily are still less common in the Navies of foreign Powers. Experiments were made also to discover what colour was most suitable for war purposes, and after many trials a grey-blue has been decided on, and it is probably owing to the manner in which this tint harmonises with the water that the Gustave Zédé owes much of her invisibility. It was also remarked that except on very calm days (in which case a slight eddy is discernible) the progress and direction of the submarine cannot be discovered by movements on the surface – a matter of great importance. The Gustave Zédé is commanded by Lieutenant Jobard.7
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