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V. The Pacific Treaty between the United States of America, the British Empire, France, and Japan. Signed al Washington on 13th December, 1921. The United States of America, the British Empire, France, and Japan, with a view to the preservation, of the general peace and the maintenance of their rights in relation to their insular possessions and insular dominions in the region of the Pacific Ocean, have determined to conclude a Treaty to this effect, and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries The President of the United States of America : Charles Evans Hughes, \ n w tt j j Citizens of the United States: Oscar W. Underwood, Elihu Root, I His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India : The Right Honourable Arthur James Balfour, 0.M., M.P., Lord President of His Privy Council: The Right Honourable Baron Lee of Fareham, G.8.E., K.C.8., First Lord of His Admiralty : The Right Honourable Sir Auckland Campbell Geddes, K.C.8., His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America : And For the Dominion of Canada : The Right Honourable Robert Laird Borden, G.C.M.G., K.C. : For the Commonwealth of Australia : " The Honourable George Foster Pearce, Minister of Defence : For the Dominion of New Zealand : Sir John William Salmond, K.C, Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand : For the Union of South Africa : The Right Honourable Arthur James Balfour, 0.M., M.P. : For India : The Right Honourable Valingman Sankaranarayana Srinivasa Sastri, Member of the Indian Council of State : The President of the French Republic : Mr. Rene Viviani, Deputy, former President of the Council of Ministers : Mr. Albert Sarraut, Deputy, Minister of the Colonies : Mr. Jules J. Jusserand, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to - the United States of America, Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour : His Majesty the Emperor of Japan : Baron Tomosaburo Kato, Minister for the Navy, Junii, a member of the First Class of the Imperial Order of the Grand Cordon of the Rising Sun with the Paulownia Flower: Baron Kijuro Shidehara, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Washington, Joshii, a member of the First Class of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun : Prince lyesato Tokugawa, Junii, a member of the First Class of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun : Mr. Masanao Hanihara, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jushii, a member of the. Second Class of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun : Who, having communicated their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows : — I. The High Contracting Parties agree as between themselves to respect their rights in relation to their insular possessions and insular dominions in the region of the Pacific Ocean. If there should develop between any of the High Contracting Parties a controversy arising out of any Pacific question and involving their said rights which is not satisfactorily settled by diplomacy, and is likely to affect the harmonious accord now happily subsisting between them, they shall invite the other High Contracting Parties to a joint conference, to which the whole subject will be referred for consideration and adjustment. 11. If the said rights are threatened by the aggressive action of any other Power the High Contracting Parties shall communicate with one another fully and frankly in order to arrive at an understanding as to the most efficient measures to be taken, jointly or separately, to meet tho exigencies of the particular situation. 111. This Treaty shall remain in force for ten years from the time it shall take effect, and after the expiration of said period it shall continue to be in force subject to the right of any of the High Contracting Parties to terminate it upon twelve months' notice. IV. This Treaty shall be ratified as soon as possible in accordance with the constitutional methods of tho High Contracting Parties, and shall take effect on the deposit of ratifications, which shall take place at Washington, and thereupon the agreement between Great Britain and Japan which was