The Navy Commander (Marinekommandant) of the Austro-Hungarian fleet, Vice Admiral Maximilian Daublebsky von Sterneck, outlined in a memorandum of 8 September 1884 the requirements for a cruiser equipped with a reinforced ram bow for ramming as well as torpedoes for attacks on larger warships. Such vessels would also be small and fast enough to undertake patrol and reconnaissance duties. They were originally classified as "torpedo ships" (Torpedoschiff) - equivalent of a torpedo cruiser in other navies. In 1903 they were reclassified as 3rd Class Cruisers, then in 1909 as small cruisers (Kleine Kreuzer).