Nautilus was designed in response to recommendations for an overseas submarine displacing 1,000 tons and capable of 20 knots (37 km/h).

The resulting design changed from the saddle tanks common at the time to a double hull.

Nautilus spent most of her life with the 1st Submarine Flotilla at Portsmouth as a depot ship and later as a battery charging vessel.

Following decommissioning she was sold for scrap to John Cashmore Ltd on 9 June 1922 and broken up at their yard at Newport, Wales.

This article about a specific naval submarine of the United Kingdom is a stub.