from the Control Room to the conning tower in future submarines. Indeed, the early years of submarine building were a time of innovation:
In 1908, approval was given to fit C12 to C16 with 'airlocks' or 'air-traps' as they were sometimes known. Divided into three airlocks, with a fourth fitted on the starboard side, the enclosed spaces had stowed in them sixteen diving helmets - one for each member of the crew. The escape route was through the torpedo hatch. These airlocks were subsequently fitted to all B and C Class submarines.
The first submarine to carry a boat appears to have been C1, which had a 10ft berthon boat - a practice that was adopted for the remainder of the class. In 1905, the hitherto unknown
