On hearing that five submarines were to be purchased for evaluation trials with the Royal Navy from Vickers Sons & Maxim's shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness, Reginald Bacon - an ex-torpedo Lieutenant (later to become Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon KCB KCVO DSO) applied to be given their Command. His appointment was duly sanctioned by the Admiralty and he came to Barrow as Inspecting Captain of Submarine Boats.
In his own words,
"On taking up my appointment, I called on Sir William White, the Director of Naval Construction, and Sir John Dunstan, the Engineer-in-Chief. Both washed their hands entirely of submarines and refused to have anything to do with them. So I took over constructional and engineering control with regard to both design and practical working. This suited me down to the ground."
