[Tombow]

@Draka:

I might be trying to split a hair, but IMHO the class designation "destroyer" reflects the initial purpose of these ships, namely destroying larger and more battleworthy adversaries (such as cruisers of both pre- and dreadnaught designs and so) using "mines" (here a refer to all kinds of mines, moored, pole mines or "self-propelled mines", see below).

In several wars at the turn of the centuries (19th/20th) and even WWI, torpedoes were considered destroyer's main weapon, altough in some navies (the russian navy is a prime example), this ship was initially designed a "light mine cruiser" (one must keep in mind that the early torpedoes like the Whitehead and Hopewell designs were called "self-propelled mines"). Early torpedoes just required larger ships and more manpower to handle them than existing mine weapons at that time (pole mines for example).

While early destroyers were equipped with powerfull torpedo launch capabilities (prime example - the russian Novik-class destroyers), they were also formidable minelayers in their own. One can look back at both the russian and the japanese "destroyers" of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. In both design and mode of deployment torpedoes as well as mines were their main weapon.

Armament requirements alone led to the design convergence on an adequately (for its displacement) armored ship smaller than a light cruiser, capable of self-defense against lighter adversaries, seaworthy enough to operate in open water and fast enough to launch a torpedo attack against much larger and heavier adversary. This mode of deployment is best illustrated by the destroyer (and destroyer leader) action in the Battle of Jutland.

IMHO, escort (including anti-submarine-warfare) and raider duties came secondary to all that since the destroyer in its original fashion was just the right size to be fitted (besides torpedoes and mines) with artillery of the right caliber and speed to provide escort and scouting duty for a larger warship squadron while capable of operating against a lighter armed adversary.