One of the members of the commission responsible to investigate the French navy namely Paul Doumer sketched in in the newspaper Matin a desperate view. According to him was just one fleet of importance namely the Mediterranean Fleet. This fleet should be continuous in a state of mobilisation and to be able to depart immediately if necessary. This fleet consisted of 6 battleships of 15,000 tons and 3 cruisers of 12,500 tons. Not a very large number of ships he said but with a good quality. But this fleet was prepared for action. Of the 700 men needed for the crews of these ships were 100 men lacking and one battleship didn’t have any projectile n on board for protection against torpedo boats. On a another battleship burst last year during gun exercises one heavy gun and which wasn’t still replaced. Ammunition and victuals were lacking, crews were everywhere incomplete and so on. The commission and the cabinet were to improve this state rapidly.
