The Spica class pushes beyond treaty exemptions

How did the treaty distinguish unrestricted small craft from larger torpedo boats?

Anything under 600 tons escaped the key limits; the larger, fast, torpedo-armed Spica class did not, despite attempts to present it as smaller.

The treaty permitted virtually any armament below 600 tons, but vessels between 600 and 2,000 tons faced restrictions on guns, torpedoes, and speed. At roughly 1,040 tons and 34 knots, the Spica class could not honestly use the unrestricted small-craft exemption. Its three 3.9-inch guns, four torpedoes, light weapons, and capacity for mines combined the roles of torpedo boat, gunboat, minelayer, and escort. Italian attempts to present a lower displacement did not change the ship's practical characteristics. The example demonstrates how a national type label could conceal a vessel whose capabilities crossed several treaty categories.