The captain of the Austrian gunboat _Balaton_ told the survivors that
he had delayed launching boats to pick them up, because a torpedo had
been fired at his boat from the _Monge_ as she went down. He believed
that Commandant Morillot, having seen all his men safely overboard,
had gone below alone and deliberately fired a last torpedo. That is
possible, or it may be that a torpedo was accidentally discharged from
the sinking boat. Joffry spoke of feeling an explosion after getting
into the water.
In an order of the day published as soon as the facts became known,
Admiral the Duke of the Abruzzi paid tribute to the "heroic sacrifice
in which Lieut. Morillot decided to remain on board his sinking boat,"
and added: "To do honor to this deed of the purest marine valor, his
Majesty the King has deigned to confer upon him, _motu proprio_, the
gold medal for valor." This was the first time this rare distinction
had been conferred since the war began. In transmitting this notice to
the French Admiral, Vice-Admiral Cutinelli-Rendina added:
"His memory will ever remain for us an object of admiration and
worship."