Dutch destroyers and the Far East problem

Dutch destroyer design had to reconcile a small fleet with the defence of the East Indies, which were critical to national security and prosperity. The Dutch sought individually superior vessels because they had few hulls available. The Royal Navy built for a much larger fleet and expected to employ whole flotillas. A Dutch advantage in a one-on-one fight offered little protection when one or two ships met opponents in flotilla strength. The heavily armed Tribal class further qualified any claim of Dutch individual superiority. The Gerard Callenburgh class was intended to help meet these Far Eastern commitments.