The French submarine program according to the Dutch newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated 24 December 1898

France possessed a submerged torpedo boat [=a submarine] which succeeded during trials to place three times a torpedo against her target. The warship Charles Martel was fitted out with a submerged torpedo equipment which was operable below a sped of 15 knots. The French newspaper Echo de Paris expressed that England mustn’t forget what France was able to do.