The final design had a flush deck and four smokestacks. It was a fairly straightforward evolution of the preceding "Caldwell" class. General dissatisfaction with the earlier "1,000 ton" designs ("Cassin" and "Tucker" classes) led to the fuller hull form of the "flush deck" type. Greater beam and the flush deck provided greater hull strength. In addition, the "Wickes" class had ( more than the "Caldwell" class), providing an extra . The machinery arrangement of some of the "Caldwell"s was used, with geared steam turbines on two shafts.