An item referred to the magazine Scientific American which discussed the giant American battle cruisers with the length of the largest passenger ships, the speed of the fastest destroyers and the armament of a modern battleship. Details dealing with the armour were kept secret. The dimensions were 267 (over all) x 28 x over 9 metres. The displacement was 34.800 tons. Horsepower 180.000 hp and a speed of35 sea miles. The fore mast was placed above the conning tower, Using oil as fuel stored in the double bottom were no coal bunkers needed so the whole beam of the ship was available for the water tube boilers. High speed turbines directly connected to the dynamo delivered the power for the engines. Engines and boilers were situated on two decks. In advance was uncertain for which calibre was to be chosen 35 or 40 cm. In the meantime it became known that their main armament was to consist pf 3x3 and 2x2-35/50cm guns, equal to the main armament of the USS Nevada and Oklahoma. The total muzzle energy of the 35/50 cm guns of the battle cruiser was with 70.000 foot-tons larger as the 65.000 foot tons of the 35/46 guns of the Nevada. The anti torpedo boat armament consisted of 20-12,5/50cm guns. Further more were 8-53,3cm torpedo tubes (4 surfaced,4 submerged) with a range of 9 kilometres. The crew was to number 1.274 men.(1)
Note
1. This must be the Lexington-class battle cruisers approved on 30 June 1916. Four of the six planned (Constellation, Ranger, Constitution and United States were scrapped on the slipways as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty. The USS Lexington and Saratoga how ever were converted in to fleet carriers.
