Spahi and Voltigeur show the tradeoffs of larger destroyers

The Spahi class increased displacement to about 550 tons, crew to nearly eighty, and armament to six 65 mm guns and three 450 mm torpedo tubes. Its range fell to roughly 1,200 nautical miles at 10 knots. The 65 mm gun was a deliberate compromise because French designers considered 57 mm weapons too weak and 76 mm weapons excessive for these hulls. France built seven Spahi ships while also trying two smaller, 450-ton Voltigeur destroyers. The smaller design carried the same gun and torpedo battery, matched 28 knots, and reached about 1,520 nautical miles at 10 knots. Hull resistance appears to have limited the larger ships' efficiency, while the smaller design moved through the water more efficiently. Added size and power did not guarantee better endurance.