Otori's stated 840-ton displacement exceeded the 600-ton exemption that had shaped Chidori. A proposed remedy for Chidori would reduce topweight, strengthen the hull and replace two twin torpedo launchers with one triple launcher on the centreline. Single gun mounts at either end would reduce the weapons burden, and even cruising range would be sacrificed if necessary to make the smaller hull workable. Otori adopted part of that approach, with one triple torpedo launcher and three single gun mounts. Its stated range of 4,000 nautical miles at 14 knots exceeded Chidori's figure, though the additional displacement shows the difficulty of fitting the desired capabilities into the original limit.
Notable Point · 1:08:10-1:10:48
Otori's larger hull after Chidori
Otori's extra displacement exposes the difficulty of combining guns, torpedoes and endurance within the original small-vessel exemption.