The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-05-29
SHIP
SOON BUILDING

keel Of the worlds biggest warship
will be laid down here within six
months The battle-cruiser Lcxink-
ton, combining in u degree unequal
led by any ship OF war now built or
building the qualities Of powerful
armament and high speed, has taken
form In drawings and awaits the ar
rival OF materials to be advanced
from the hands OF the architect To
those OF the builder. ny fall. II IL
estimated. the prospective queen OF
the United States navy will become u
ship under construction instead OF an
ambitious plan.
The Lexington is the name-ship of
n class OF battie.cru!sers which will
give unclc Sam within four years n
fleet OF six big-gun fighting ships
unmatched by anything theme afioat
Her sister.saips. the Constellation.
! Saratoga. Rcugor. Constitution and
United States. are also under con
tract. They bring names out OF the
old navy with which to develop for
the first new capital vessels OF the
postwar fleet traditional 'btck-
gr und for fresh exploits.
a.. with the others OF its class. the
Lexington will be n whale OF ship.
II will displace i3.2oo tons and will
have the power Of 10000 horses. rs
measured in mechanical terms. Its
! length OF s7t feet Is within a6 feet
OF the length OF the Leviathan. mon
ster passenger liner. The lol.t feet
OF width OF the Lexington will make
that floating gun platform broader
than, any passenger ship.
The Lexington, which Is TO be
equipped with electric drive. will At
tain u speed Of IS knots. This cruis-
er speed. higher than that OF many
destroyers. is the object OF much Of
the designing that entered into the
creation OF the Lexington class
Armour will be sacrificed to
make possible the 35 knot speed
the main bel, being only five inches
thick at It's maximum as compared
with the l2 inch steel belt on most
battleships. but armament will be OF
tremendous power. The Lexington
thus will have not only the strategic
advantage Of high speed but will be
able to fire q heavier charge over
greater distance than any other bat
tieship for which the plans are
known.
The Lexington In action will speak
with q voice OF ls-inch guns. OF
which she VIII have eight. The
navies OF Great Britain. France and
Italy contain no gun greater than Is |
inches and that Of Japan, includes |
is-!nch guns only on battieships OF
- knot speed which are now under !
construction. Unlike the dreadnought |
class reliance on big guns exclusive |
ly. the Lexington will carry Is six !
inch guns as a secondary armament. |
Taking a page from the naval les |
sons OF the war. the designers OF the J
Lexington have equipped the ship
with four anti-aircraft guns. eight
torpedo tubes. four OF which are sub
merged and four on deck and with
means OF defense against aerial
bombs and aerial torpedoes. Defense
against submarine torpedoes will be-
obtained through fore and aft tor
pedo defense bulkheads. by which the
stability OF the vessel will be pre-
served no matter where she In pierre
ed. Under any conditions but an ex-
piosicn. Il Is claimed, the Lexington
class OF warship should prove un-
sinkable.
An indication OF the Lexington's =
greatness Is afforded by comparison
with British warship Hood. which
when It is floated will be the biggest
ship In the British navy and afioat.
Lexington Hood
Speed ............35 knots 81 knots
$500 tons II. 200 tons
Length ..........s74 feet $50 feet
Horsepower $4,000
Big guns..........s 16-inch 15-inch
Main armor 80 inch l2 inch