marine, savants have been enabled to take passage in government vessels
that were especially arranged for making submarine explorations.

[Illustration: THE FRENCH SCIENTIFIC STEAMER TALISMAN.]

The first French exploration, which was an experimental trip, was made
in 1880 by the Travailleur in the Gulf of Gascogne. Its unhoped
for results had so great an importance that the following year the
government decided to continue its researches, and the Travailleur was
again put at the disposal of Mr. Alph. Milne Edwards and the commission
over which he presided. Mr. Edwards traversed the Gulf of Gascogne,
visited the coast of Portugal, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, and
explored a great portion of the Mediterranean. In 1882 the same vessel
undertook a third mission to the Atlantic Ocean, and as far as to the
Canary Islands. The Travailleur, however, being a side-wheel advice-boat
designed for doing service at the port of Rochefort, presented none
of those qualities that are requisite for performing voyages that are
necessarily of long duration. The quantity of coal that could be stored
away in her bunkers was consumed in a week, and, after that, she could
not sail far from the points where it was possible for her to coal up
again. So after her return Mr. Edwards made a request for a ship that
was larger, a good sailer, and that was capable of carrying with it a
sufficient supply of fuel for remaining a long time at sea, and that
was adapted to submarine researches. The Commission indorsed this
application, and the Minister of Instruction received it and transmitted
it to Admiral Jaureguiberry--the Minister of the Marine--who at once
gave orders that the Talisman should be fitted up and put in commission
for the new dredging expedition. This vessel, under command of Captain
Parfait, who the preceding year had occupied the same position on the
Travailleur, left the port of Rochefort on the 1st of June, 1883, having