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Show AMERICA'S STRENGTH ON LAKES SEEMS TO BE WORRYING CANADA OTTAWA, Dec. 1. The strcnglh oT American armaments on tho Great Lakes and the integrity of the Rush-Bagol Rush-Bagol convention of 3SJ 7 for the limitation lim-itation of naval forces on inland waters wat-ers of North America were discussed by tho Canadian commons today. George 12. Foster said the United States now had fifteen war vessels, with a force of GOO men and more than seventy sev-enty guns, on tho la Ices. .If dillicnl-ties dillicnl-ties should arise, he said, Canada's lako trade and shipping would bo ar, tho mercy of this (lot ilia within twenty-four twenty-four hours. Mr. Foster declared tho Rush-Bagot convention had been violated vio-lated and he suggested a now one to meet modern conditions. Premier Laurier said Mr. Foster had called attention to a delicate matter. The Rush-I3agot agreement could be terminated ter-minated on six months' nolico if the United States desired, but this was a thing which Canada wished to avoid, said tho speaker. For a hundred years tho agreement had served Canada well. Tn the last few yenrs the United Stales had developed a naval policy nnd had made a reasonable demand for permission per-mission to phice training ships on the Great Lakes. These could not be placed thero without an intcrfcrcnco with the agreement of 1S07. "J must say," said Sir Wilfrid, "that though the terms of that, agreement have not been absolutely maintained, 1 am not prepared to admit they have been unfairly interfered with. "To end the treatj' would bo an evil alternative, for it might bring an uu-limited' uu-limited' armament on one side and Canada Can-ada would have to follow sail. "Tho condition is such that wo have to be ver- careful of what we do or say." |