A.—s

4

(6.) The Shantung Treaty, between China and Japan. (7.) Resolutions : — (a.) Appointing a Commission to report on the necessity of the regulation by international law of new agencies of warfare : (6.) Establishing in China a Board of Reference to secure the due execution of certain provisions contained in the treaties with China : (c.) Establishing a Commission to report on the expediency of abolishing extra-territorial jurisdiction in China : (d.) For the abolition of foreign post-offices in China : (e.) Establishing a Commission to report on the expediently of withdrawing all foreign troops from China : . (/.) Limiting and regulating the establishment of foreign radio-stations in China : ((/.) Recommending the unification of Chinese railways into a single system under Chinese control : (h.) Recommending the reduction of Chinese military forces and expenditure : (i.) Providing for the publication of treaties and agreements already made or hereafter to be made between China and any other Power or the nationals of any other Power : (j.) Relative to the Chinese Eastern Railway. The text of the foregoing treaties and resolutions, except the Shantung Treaty, is contained in the Appendix to this Report. THE NAVAL TREATY. The most interesting and important of all those manifold results of the Washington Conference is the Naval Treaty between the British Empire, the United States of America, Japan, France, and Italy. The Treaty had its origin in a definite and detailed scheme of reduction of naval armament, prepared by the United States Government and submitted to the Conference at its first public meeting by the Secretary of State,. Mr. Hughes. The main and essential features of the American proposals were adopted by the Conference, and are embodied in the Treaty, with such modifications as discussion showed to be necessary for securing the consent of the Powers concerned. The scheme of the Treaty is based on the distinction between capital ships and auxiliary ships. A capital ship (or, to use the older term, which is adopted in the French text of the Treaty, a " ship of the line "), means a battleship or a battlecruiser. The term " auxiliary ship " includes light cruisers, submarines, destroyers, and aircraft-carriers. The capital ships of any Power may be conveniently termed collectively its " battle fleet," all its other ships-of-war being termed collectively its " auxiliary fleet." The Treaty provides for a large and immediate reduction in the size of the battle fleet of each of the five great Powers. Each of those Powers is permitted to retain only certain named capital ships, and all the others are to be forthwith destroyed or otherwise rendered permanently unfit for service. The following tables indicate the composition of the battle fleet of each Power as reduced in accordance with the Treaty : —

The British Empire.

Name of Ship. Tonnage. Name of Ship. Tonnage.. Name of Ship. Tonnage. Royal Sovereign . . Royal Oak Revenge Resolution Ramillies Malaya Valiant Barhain . . 25,750 25,750 25,750 25,750 25,750 27,500 27,500 27,500 25,750 25,750 25,750 25,750 25,750 27,500 27,500 27,500 Queen Elizabeth . . Warspite Benbow Emperor of India . . Iron Duke Marlborough Hood Renown 27,500 27,500 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 41,200 26,500 Repulse Tiger Thunderer King George V Ajax Centurion 26,500 28,500 22,500 23,000 23,000 23,000 Total tonnage. . 580,450