Built as a flotilla leader, she displaced 25 long tons more than the rest of her class and carried an extra 30 personnel.
A ninth ship, Codrington, was built to an enlarged design to act as the flotilla leader.
As a flotilla leader, her standard displacement was 20 tons heavier than other ships of her class.
From 1925, flotilla leaders were issued with but did not paint on pennant numbers.
Grom was thought of as a large destroyer, similar to flotilla leaders.
Being large, they frequently acted as flotilla leaders.
By the end of the year, there were nine light cruisers, four flotilla leaders and 24 destroyers.
After her commissioning, she was assigned to serve as a flotilla leader for torpedo boats.
The ship's career was uneventful; she served as a flotilla leader for torpedo boats until 1900.
If Collingswood wasn't worried about a flotilla leader, then neither was he.