The French engineers have partially realised one of the dreams
of M. Jules Verne, the clever novelist, whose method it is to exaggerate the powers of scientific appliances till they become almost supernatural agencies. On December 22nd, a submarine boat, about 45 ft. long and 5 ft. 7 in. in diameter, driven by electric accumulators, was tried in the harbour of Toulon. The boat, which is called the ' Gymnote,' or electric eel, plunged under water till it became invisible, and traversed and retraversed the harbour, being accurately guided by aid of " the gyroscope," while distances were calculated by the number of turns of the screw. There were three officers and one seaman on board ; but though the vessel remained in each trial ten minutes under water, the air remained quite pure, and the accumulators retained force enough for hours of work. The speed is not given. It is obvious that such a vessel may be used for a variety of purposes, especially submarine ex- ploration and the rescue of submerged treasure ; but as yet it does not promise much aid to the great art of destruction. People who kill always want a chance of living, and the Gymnote' if used as a ram, as Jules Verne suggested, would crush her crew as well as the enemy.
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