Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-28
AN ISlAND" IN THE kANSAN
DRIFT SURROUNDED ~
THE IoWAN DRIFT.
RIVER CUT CHANNEL
THRU SOLID ROCK
Governor Harding psdieates 1900
Aers Tract In Delaware County
Accessible to All Of ,Northsastsrn
Iowa by Auto--Naturai Beauty to
Be Untouched.
BY Associated Press.

by ASSOCIATED PreSS.
Quincy, Mass, May 2s.-Thc kee1
Of the worlds biggest warship will be
laid down here within six months
The battle cruiser Lexington. COM
blning in degree uneduallcd by any
ship OF war now built or building the
qualities OF powerful armament and
high speed. ma. taken form In draw
ings and awaits the arrival Of mater
ials to be advanced from the hands
of the architect to those of the build
er.
BY fall. It IL estimated. the prospec-
tive queen OF the United States navy
will become a ship under construc-
ton instead of an ambitious plan
The Lexington Is the name-ship OF
q class Of battle cruisers which will
give Uncle Sam within four years a
fleet OF six big-gun lighting ships
unmatched by anything then afloat
Her sister-ships. the Constellation
Saratoga, Ranger. 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 a traditional back
ground for fresh exploits.
With the others OF It's class, the
Lexington viii be whale of ship
1t will displace 43, 200 tons and will
have the power of 10000 horses. as
measured in mechanical terms. Its
length of STA feet is within 46 feet OF
the length of the Leviathan. monster
passenger liner. The 1911 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 speed OF IS knots. This cruis.
err speed. higher than that of many
destroyers. Is the object OF much OF
creation OF the Lexington class. Ar
NOR will be sacrificed to make pos.
sible the IS knot specialize main belt
being only five inches thick at it,
maximum a. compared with the /:
inch steel belt on most battleships
but armament win be OF treendous
power The Lexingt ton thus will have
not only the strategic advantage Of
high speed but will be able to fire O
heavier charge over 4 greater dis.
lance than any other battleehip fol
which the plans are known.
The Lexington in action will speal
with voice of sixteen inch guns, Of
which she will have eight. The'havie.
of Great Britain. France and Italy
contain no gun greater than flfteer
inches and that Of Japan includes
sixteen-inch guns only on battle.
ships Of twenty four knot speed
which are now under construction
Unlike the dreadnought class reliance
on big guns exclusively. the Lex.
ington will carry sixteen six-inct
guns as secondary armament.
Taking a page from the naval les
sons Of the war. the designers Of tn,
Lexington have equipped the shiI
with four anti-air-craft guns, eigh
torpedo tubes. four Of which arr
submerged and four on deck ant
with means Of defense against aeria
bombs and aerial torpedoes. De-
tense against submarine torpedoel
will be obtained thru fore and af
torpedo defense bulkheads. by which
the stability Of the vessel will 81
preserved no matter where she 1.
pierced. Under any conditions bu
an explosion. it is claimed. the Lex
ington class Of warship should prov,
unsuitable.