Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 50 Part 2.djvu/484

This page needs to be proofread.

MULTILATERAL-NAVAL ARMAMENT --MARCH 25, 1936 holding a conference in order to frame a new treaty for the reduction and limitation of naval armament. This conference shall take place in 1941 unless the preliminary consultations should have shown that the holding of such a conference at that time would not be desirable or practicable. (2) In the course of the consultation referred to in the preceding paragraph, views shall be exchanged in order to determine whether, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing and the experience gained in the interval in the design and construction of capital ships, it may be possible to agree upon a reduction in the standard dis- placement or calibre of guns of capital ships to be constructed under future annual programmes and thus, if possible, to bring about a reduction in the cost of capital ships. Article 29 None of the provisions of the present Treaty shall constitute a precedent for any future treaty. Article 0S (1) The present Treaty shall be ratified by the Signatory Powers in accordance with their respective constitutional methods, and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited as soon as possible with His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, which will transmit certified copies of all the procs-verbauz of the deposits of ratifications to the Governments of the said Powers and of any country on behalf of which accession has been made in accordance with the provisions of Article 31. (2) The Treaty shall come into force on the 1st January, 1937, provided that by that date the instruments of ratification of all the said Powers shall have been deposited. If all the above- mentioned instruments of ratification have not been deposited by the 1st January, 1937, the Treaty shall come into force so soon thereafter as these are all received. 1391 Provisions herein not precedents. (1) The present Treaty shall, at any time after this day's date, be open to accession on behalf of any country for which the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament was signed in London on the 22nd April, 1930, but for which the present Treaty has not been signed. The instrument of accession shall be deposited with His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, which will transmit certified copies of the proces-verbaux of the deposit to the Governments of the Signatory Powers and of any country on behalf of which accession has been made. (2) Accessions, if made prior to the date of the coming into force of the Treaty, shall take effect on that date. If made afterwards, they shall take effect immediately. Open for accessions. Effective dates. Deposit of instru- ments of ratification. Date of coming into force. Article 31