Canadian Draft: 28 November 1922[1]
Preamble
His Majesty the King, etcetera, and the United States of America,
Desiring through the abolition of their naval armament on the Great Lakes, to contribute to the maintenance of the peace and good understanding that that happily so long subsisted between them, and
Having to that end agreed to adapt to present day conditions the principles of the Agreement between Great Britain and the United States of America concluded at Washington on the 29th and 29th April, 1817, and to supplement by provision relating to the Great Lakes the Treaty between the United States of America, the British Empire, France, Italy, and Japan for the Limitation of Naval Armament, signed at Washington on the 6th February, 1922.
Have resolved etcetera
Article One.
The present Treaty shall apply to the waters of the Great Lakes, the waters connecting the Great Lakes, the international boundary waters of the St. Lawrence River, and the waters of Lake Champlain.
Article Two.
No armed vessel shall be maintained on the waters designated in Article One by either High Contracting Party except in accordance with Article Three; nor shall there be passed, for any purpose whatsoever, from the sea into the waters designated, by either High Contracting Party, any vessel, either armed or unarmed, which has been designed, built or used for Naval purposes, without a mutual agreement beforehand.
Article Three.
Such vessels may be maintained on the waters designated in Article 1 by either High Contracting Party as may be necessary for revenue and police duties.
The numbers, specifications and armament of such vessels shall be agreed upon from time to time between the Canadian and American Governments.
Such vessels shall not be used on the waters designated in Article 1 for Naval or militia training or for naval manoeuvres.
Article Four.
No vessel built on the waters designated in Article 1 for naval purposes shall have any offensive or defensive armament placed on board while it is in these waters.
Any such vessel shall be removed from these waters within six months of the date when it is ready for launching.
Each High Contracting Party shall promptly inform the other of any such vessel to be built on these waters within its jurisdiction, communicating the date of the signing of the contract, the date when it is ready for launching and its main dimensions.
Article Five.
Should either of the High Contracting Parties become engaged in War which in its opinion affects the naval defence of its national security it may, after notice to the other High Contracting Party, suspend for the period of hostilities its obligations under Article 4, provided that it shall notify the other High Contracting Party that the emergency is of such a character as to require such suspension. On the cessation of hostilities this suspension shall terminate and Article 4 shall resume its full force and effect.
Article Six.
The present Treaty shall be ratified in accordance with the constitutional methods of the High Contracting Parties and shall take effect on the exchange of the ratifications, which shall take place at Washington as soon as possible.
It shall remain in force until two years after one of the High Contracting Parties has given notice to the other of an intention to terminate it.
Within one year of the date on which such notice of termination has been received the High Contracting Parties shall meet in conference.
The present Treaty shall supersede the Agreement between Great Britain and the United States of America which was concluded at Washington on the 28th and 29th April 1817.
United States Draft: 12 May 1923[2]
Preamble
The United States of America and His Majesty, the King, etc.,
Desiring to strengthen the bond of peace which has long happily subsisted between them, and in particular to perpetuate the spirit of the arrangement commonly called the Rush-Bagot Agreement, concluded between them April 28 and April 29, 1817, by an appropriate convention, have appointed to that end their plenipotentiaries, etc.
The President, etcetera.
Article One.
The present Treaty shall apply to the waters of the Great Lakes, the waters tributary to the Great Lakes, the waters connecting the Great Lakes, the international boundary waters of the St. Lawrence River, and the waters of Lake Champlain.
Article Two.
No armed vessel shall be maintained on the waters designated in Article One by either High Contracting Party except in accordance with Article Three; nor shall there be passed, for any purpose whatsoever, from the sea into the waters designated, by either High Contracting Party, any naval vessel other than of the character described in Article three, either armed or unarmed, without a mutual agreement beforehand.
Article Three.
Such vessels may be maintained on the waters designated in Article One by either High Contracting Party as may be necessary for the enforcement of police laws and regulations. The armament of vessels engaged in the enforcement of police laws and regulations shall be limited to such armament as is appropriate to that purpose. Such vessels shall not be used on the waters designated in Article One for militia training, for naval maneuvers or for naval training, other than that of their regular crews; nor shall they ever be used for hostile purposes – even in time or war.
Naval vessels or merchant vessels converted to naval use may be maintained for training purposes only, in the waters designated in Article One, provided the vessels so maintained shall never be used for hostile purposes on the Great Lakes – even in time or war. The number, specifications and armament of such vessels shall be the subject of agreement from time to time between the American and Canadian Governments.
Article Four.
No vessel built on the waters designated in Article One for naval service in other waters shall have any offensive or defensive armament placed on board while it is in the waters designated in Article One.
Any such vessel shall be removed from those waters within six months of the date when it is ready for launching.
Each High Contracting Party shall promptly inform the other of any such vessel to be built on those waters within its territory, communicating the date of the signing of the contract, the date when it is ready for launching, and its main dimensions.
Article Five.
Should either of the High Contracting Parties become engaged in war which in its opinion affects the naval defense of its national security, it may, after notice to the other High Contracting Party, suspend for the period of hostilities its obligations under Article Four, provided that it shall notify the other High Contracting Party that the emergency is of such a character as to require such suspension. On the cessation of hostilities this suspension shall terminate and Article four shall resume its full force and effect.
Article Six.
The present Treaty shall be ratified in accordance with the constitutional methods of the High Contracting Parties and shall take effect on the exchange of the ratifications, which shall take place at Washington as soon as possible.
It shall remain in force until two years after one of the High Contracting Parties has given notice to the other of an intention to terminate it.
Within one year of the date on which such notice of termination has been received the High Contracting Parties shall meet in conference.
The present Treaty shall supersede the Agreement between the United States of America and Great Britain which was concluded at Washington on the 28th and 29th April, 1817.
[1]FRUS, 1923, Vol. 1, pp488-489.
[2]FRUS, 1923, Vol. 1, pp493-494.
