History of the Japanese Submarine Navy: Part 1 1905
History of the Japanese Submarine Navy: Part 2 1912-17

The HOLLAND boats which went bobbing along in the water were affectionately called DONGAME (clumsy turtle), and it became the epithet for the Japanese submarine and its crew.

In 1909 I.J.N. purchased two British submarines built by Vickers Company of England with the approval of the ROYAL NAVY. Those boats were quite advanced, in comparison to the HOLLAND boats, with the displacement nearly three times bigger, with two torpedo tubes and two periscopes, and a greater surface speed. Those TYPE C boats were designated by I.J.N. as boats #8 and #9. They were to be re-named Ha-1 and Ha-2. (Under the 1923 classification of I.J.N. submarines, boats with surface displacement in excess of 1,000 tons became I-BOATS; similarly those under 1,000 tons and over 500 tons became Ro-BOATS; those under 500 tons became Ha-BOATS.)

The vital statistics of the two new British boats are as follows:

C-1 (Ha-1) TYPE

Displacement 286/321 tons
Dimensions 43.33 x 4.14 x 3.43 meters
Engines single shaft gasoline/electric
Power
(gasoline) 600hp
(electric) 300hp
Speed
(gasoline) 12 knots
(electric) 8.5 knots
Fuel 15 tons
Range
(gasoline)660 miles @ 12 knots
(electric) 60 miles @ 4 knots
Tubes
(fwd) two tubes of 45cm
(aft) none
Depth of Dive 30.5 meters
Crew 26

I.J.N. further imported engines and such components as periscopes and gyrocompasses from England and built three boats, based on the design of C-1. They were completed at Kure Naval Yard in 1911. They incorporated certain improvements; their superstructures were extended to the bow, giving them a better sea-keeping quality, and their bow hydroplanes were installed above the waterline, reducing the drag at the time of the surface run. They were designated as Boats #10 - #12, later to become Ha-3 through Ha-5. Their vital statistics are as follows:

C-2 (Ha-3) TYPE
Displacement 291/320 tons
Dimensions 43.33 x 4.14 x 3.43 meters
Engines single shaft gasoline/electric
Power
(gasoline) 600hp
(electric) 300hp
Speed
(gasoline) 12 knots
(electric) 8.5 knots
Fuel 15 tons
Range
(gasoline) 660 miles @ 12 knots
(electric) 60 miles @ 4 knots
Tubes
(fwd) two tubes of 45cm
(aft) none
Depth of dive 30.5 meters
Crew 26

In those early years, the submarine was looked upon as kind of torpedo boat, and the I.J.N. assigned its submersible boats to the Fourth Torpedo-Boat Flotilla. In 1912, during the annual naval exercises, the three C-2 boats, belonging to the Second Submarine Squadron, carried out a mock attack against three armored cruisers off Tokyo Bay, where they were receiving coal from tenders. The cruisers were declared sunk, while completely unaware of the attack. From this achievement, it was judged that the submarine had reached the level of development where it proved itself to be a useful asset in coastal defense.

More History of the Japanese Submarine Navy

Part 1: 1905
Part 2: 1912-17
Part 3: C-1 and C-2
Part 4: Ha-9, Ha-10 and Tsing-Tao
Part 5: Ro-11, Ro-13, Ro-16
Part 6: Ro-1, Ro-3
Part 7: Kaichu Type 4
Part 8: Batteries
Part 9: Ro-57 and Ro-60
Part 10: I-16
Part 11: O-1 (ex U-125) and O-2 (ex U-46)