I have photocopies of a proposal my grandfather submitted to the Admiralty for a submarine rescue ship in 1906, complete with drawings. (The originals I sent on permanent loan to the submarine museum)
The layout of the ship he proposed is exactly that of the Kommuna, but slightly smaller. (220' length, 40'beam, against 310 X 60). Submarines were pretty small in 1906.
Attached is a letter from the Admiralty, saying that he was to be commended for his efforts, but that it was not proposed to adopt them.
In the same letter, he proposed that submarines should have a bouy installed in the casing, which could be released from inside the boat if it could not.surface.
When I joined Coastal Command in 1964, I realised that every submarine in the world carried such a bouy,(Or more usually two.)
Perhaps I should demand royalties from the world's navies, and use the funds to endow a lifeboat in his name.
Since he made his proposal in 1906, and Russia stated Kommuna in 1911, perhaps there was a mole in The Admiralty.