This type of ship was devised to counter vessels called torpedo boats, & the name originally followed "torpedo boat"
..... An effective 
counter had already been developed back then - the 'torpedo-boat... [DOC] [TLE] Texel Action - British Battles [PAR] Texel action: Sea Battle in the First World War on 17th October 1914 where 
British ... Torpedo Boats (S114  131 type): S115, S117, S118 and S119: all built 
... as a naval weapon small vessels called 'Torpedo Boats' were developed by all 
... boats.