What an Egret-class sloop could do to a destroyer

If an Egret-class sloop surprised an enemy destroyer, did it have enough gun power to defeat it?

Potentially: eight 4-inch guns could devastate an unarmoured destroyer, though the result would depend on the opponent and circumstances.

The outcome depends on the destroyer involved and on the Egret gaining surprise. Eight 4-inch guns could wreck an unarmoured destroyer's superstructure and damage its hull. Destroyers generally lacked armour that would let them shrug off repeated hits of that size. A sloop's nominal role does not prevent it from being dangerous in a favourable surface action.