Spanish Destroyer ''Destructor''

By Crusader1307

The ''Destructor'' was a 19th Century Imperial Spanish Naval Warship, created with being The World's first official ''Destroyer-Class'' Vessel. It's name would be used to also describe this Class of World Warship. She was designed by a Spanish Naval Officer in 1885 and launched in 1889. ''Destructor'' was classed (then) as a ''Torpedo Gunboat''. Such Classes of Fighting Ships were used to protect the larger Battleships of The Era (much as what the primary mission of a Destroyer serves). She was built in English Shipyards. The Vessel was 350-tons displaced. She was 193-feet long with a Beam of 25-feet. While her armor plating was thin (for speed, at 1-inch throughout), this helped to give ''Destructor'' great speed. Using Twin expansion Engines, She could achieve close to 30-knots in open water. Her armament was (1) 90mm Main Gun, (4) 2-inch Deck Guns, (2) 1-inch Guns and the ability to deploy (2) 14-inch Torpedoes. She was crewed by 60 Officers and Men. In service until 1910 (she was scrapped in 1911), The British Navy copied her design which greatly improved their combat ability for World War I.