A.—s

8

increasing the existing naval facilities for the repair and maintenance of naval forces, and from increasing coast defences. The purpose of this provision is to prevent any of these three Powers from diminishing, by the construction of such naval bases, fortifications, and other instrumentalities of naval warfare, the effective distance which separates that Power from the territories of the others. This prohibition extends, in the case of the United States, to the whole of the present or future possessions of that Power in the Pacific Ocean, with the exception of the Hawaiian Islands (where the American Government already possesses a powerful naval base), and with the further exception of territories adjacent to the coasts of the United States, Alaska, and the Panama Canal, but not including the Aleutian Islands. In the case of the British Empire, the prohibition exteuds to Hong Kong and to all present and future British possessions in the Pacific Ocean east of the meridian of 110° east longitude, except (a) those adjacent to the coast of Canada, (b) the Commonwealth of Australia and its territories, and (c) New Zealand. The prohibition covers, therefore, the possessions of this Dominion — namely, the Cook Islands and Western Samoa. In the case of Samoa, a similar prohibition is already and independently imposed by the Samoan mandate. The following supplementary restrictions are also imposed by the Treaty : — (1.) The contracting Powers will not permit any capital ship of a tonnage exceeding 35,000 or carrying any guns of a calibre in excess of 16 inches, or any cruiser of a tonnage exceeding 10,000 tons or carrying guns of a calibre exceeding 8 inches, to be built within their dominions for any other Power. (2.) The contracting Powers will not make any preparations in merchant ships in time of peace for the installation of warlike armaments and the conversion of such ships into vessels-of-war, other than the necessary stiffening of decks for the mounting of 6-inch guns. (3.) If a contracting Power is engaged in war, such Power will not use as part of its fleet any vessel-of-war which may be under construction within its territories for any other Power, or which may have been constructed within its jurisdiction for any other Power and is not yet delivered. (4.) No contracting Power will dispose by way of gift, sale, or otherwise of any vessel-of-war in such manner that it, may become part of the navy of any foreign Power. The Naval Treaty is to continue in force until two years' notice of intention to terminate the Treaty is given by any one of the five Powers to the others. No such notice, however, can be given before the 31st December, 1934. The result is that the Treaty cannot be determined until the 31st December, 1936, at the earliest. Within one year after notice of termination has been given by any Power, all of the five Powers must meet together in a new Conference. It may be hoped that the result of such a Conference will be the renewal of the Treaty, with such modifications as may be necessitated by change of conditions. After the Treaty has been in force for eight years a Conference of all the five Powers s to be called together by the Government of the United States for the purpose of considering what modifications should be made by mutual consent in view of any technical or scientific developments in the practice of naval warfare. Independently of this Conference in eight years, any of the five Powers may require a Conference at any time for the amendment of the Treaty by mutual consent, if the requirements of the national security of that Power in respect of naval defence are in its opinion materially affected by any change of circumstances. As to the effect upon the Naval Treaty of an outbreak of war in which one of the contracting Powers is engaged, it is provided that if in the opinion of that Power the naval defence of its national security is affected by the war, such Power may, by notice to the other contracting Powers, suspend, its own obligations under the Treaty during the war. In that case the other Powers shall confer together as to temporary modifications of the Treaty as between themselves ; and if no agreement can be arrived at, each non-combatant Power will be likewise at liberty to suspend its obligations. No such suspension, however, shall entitle any Power to add to its fleet any ship-of-war built or building within its territories for a foreign