It was reported in the Naval and Military Record that the new 180-ton displacement American torpedo boats or destroyers had built-up forecastles similar to the 810 tons displacement Alarm class "catchers". These forecastles gave them a forward freeboard of 12 feet 6 inches and made them excellent sea boats. Their engines operating at 395 revolutions per minute developed 3,200 indicated horsepower, and they achieved a speed of 26 knots. They were armed with four-1-pounder guns and three torpedo tubes, one in the stern and two mounted en echelon amidships.