The five Holland Class were completed by mid-1903 at a cost of £35,000 each. Although they were poor sea boats as designed and could dive to only 100 feet, their performance and reliability was improved by several shipyard improvements until they were sufficiently successful to convince the Admiralty to continue further submarine development. Hollands 1 to 3 were eventually sold to T W Ward for breaking up in 1913, but Holland 1 foundered off the Eddystone Lighthouse whilst under tow. Holland 4 was deliberately sunk by gunfire during experiments in October 1912 and Holland 5 sank whilst under tow from Portsmouth to Sheerness.
Incredibly, in April 1981, the wreck of the first Holland boat was found on the seabed and, subsequently salvaged in 1982. Taken to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum at Gosport, she was found to be in remarkably good condition considering her 70-year enforced rest under the sea but soon began to deteriorate when removed from her natural element.
