Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1919, Volume II

Treaty Series No. 650

Agreement between the United States of America and France, Signed at Washington, July 17, 1919⁶

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the French Republic, being desirous of modifying the provisions of Article VII of the Convention of Navigation and Commerce concluded between them on June 24, 1822, have authorized the undersigned, to wit:

The Honorable Frank L. Polk, Acting Secretary of State of the United States, and

His Excellency Mr. J. J. Jusserand, Grand Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor, Ambassador of France at Washington,

To conclude the following Agreement:

Article I

It is agreed between the High Contracting Parties that Article VII, of the Convention of Navigation and Commerce, concluded between the Government of the United States and the Government of France on June 24, 1822, shall be modified and replaced by the following:

“The present temporary Convention shall be in force for two years from the first day of October next, and even after the expiration of that term, until the conclusion of a definitive treaty, or until one of the parties shall have declared its intention to renounce it; which declaration shall be made at least three months before hand. And in case the present arrangement should remain without such declaration of its discontinuance by either party, the extra duties specified in the 1st and 2d articles, shall, from the expiration of the said two years, be, on both sides, diminished by one-fourth of their whole amount, and, afterwards by one-fourth of the said amount from year to year, so long as neither party shall have declared the intention of renouncing it as above stated.”

Article II

The present Agreement shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by the President of the French Republic, and shall become effective upon the exchange of ratifications which shall take place at Washington as soon as possible.

Done in duplicate at Washington in the English and French languages this 17th day of July one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.

[seal]

Frank L. Polk

[seal]

Jusserand

6. In English and French; French text not printed. Ratification advised by the Senate, Aug. 8, 1919; ratified by the President, Dec. 8, 1920; ratified by France, Aug. 31, 1919; ratifications exchanged at Washington, Jan. 10, 1921; proclaimed, Jan. 12, 1921.