Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 4.djvu/734

 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [61 STAT. 8 Stat. 2L. Ante, p. 40ct acq. NAVAL VESSELS FOR TRAINING NAVAL RESERVE PERSONNEL Exchange of notes signed at Washington November 18 and December 6, 1946- Entered into force December 6, 1946 The CanadianAmbassador to the Acting Secretary of State CANADIAN EMBASSY AMBASSADE DU CANADA No. 42 NOVEMBER 18, 1946. SIR, You will recall that the Rush-Bagot Agreement of 1817 has been the subject of discussion between our Governments on several occasions in recent years and that notes were exchanged in 1939, 1940 and 1942 relating to the application and interpretation of this Agree- ment. It has been recognized by both our Governments that the detailed provisions of the Rush-Bagot Agreement are not applicable to present-day conditions, but that as a symbol of friendly relations extending over a period of nearly one hundred and thirty years the Agreement possesses great historic importance. It is thus the spirit of the Agreement rather than its detailed provisions which serves to guide our Governments in matters relating to naval forces on the Great Lakes. Discussions have taken place in the Permanent Joint Board on Defence with regard to the stationing on the Great Lakes of naval vessels for the purpose of training naval reserve personnel. The naval authorities of both our Governments regard such a course as valuable from the point of view of naval training and the Board has recorded its opinion that such action would be consistent with the spirit of existing agreements. The Canadian Government concurs in this opinion. In order that the views of our two Governments may be placed on record, I have the honour to propose that the stationing of naval ves- sels on the Great Lakes for training purposes by either the Canadian Government or the United States Government shall be regarded as consistent with the spirit of the Rush-Bagot Agreement provided that full information about the number, disposition, functions and arma- ment of such vessels shall be communicated by each Government to the other in advance of the assignment of vessels to service on the Great Lakes. If your Government concurs in this view, this note and your reply thereto shall be regarded as constituting a further inter- 4082

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