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kilos loaded with mellilite were exploded statically at a distance of ten meters from the side of the ship and ten meters under the water. The seams were opened up and rivets driven in under the armor belt of the ship for a distance eight meters long and four meters high. The ship was towed back in a sinking condition. Third, an 11-inch torpedo was discharged at her, a considerable hole made, and she took water so fast that she had to be beached. This last was reported to me after I left Toulon. They were to conduct further experiments on the effect of various sized bombs against the condenser system, propellers, and rudders, and the shock and blast effect of explosive bombs on the decks.
Our experiments against battleships were regarded throughout France as having marked a change in the whole method of organizing this system of national defense over the sea, and largely over the land.
We inspected their experimental equipment for an aircraft carrier. This consisted of the hull, or the shell of the battleship "Berne". This battleship was in course of construction during the War, and, when it was seen that their battleships would have to be very much larger or that they would not be used at all on account of airplane attack, work was stopped on battleships of this class.
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