CANADA HISTORY - DOCUMENTS UNITED STATES

1817 Rush-Bagot Agreement Naval Force To Be Maintained On The American Lakes Charles Bagot, Richard Rush

Analysis of the Document - (The Document follows below the Analysis)

The Rush-Bagot Agreement of 1817, negotiated by Charles Bagot, the British ambassador, and Richard Rush, the U.S. Secretary of State, was a key diplomatic achievement that established limits on naval forces in the Great Lakes region. Signed after the War of 1812, this agreement marked a turning point in the relationship between Canada (then a British colony) and the United States. It helped secure lasting peace by demilitarizing the Great Lakes and reducing the possibility of naval conflict in the region. This agreement remains significant today as one of the longest-standing arms control pacts between two nations.

The Rush-Bagot Agreement arose from the tensions that had defined Anglo-American relations in the early 19th century. The War of 1812 had shown the vulnerability of both sides when it came to control of the Great Lakes. During the war, naval engagements between British and American forces in these inland waters were crucial to control over the frontier, including Upper and Lower Canada. Both nations saw the need to reduce military presence in the area as a gesture of good faith and to facilitate peaceful commerce. This agreement not only addressed the immediate concerns of disarmament but also symbolized a commitment to peace that would endure throughout much of the 19th century.

In the context of Canadian history, the Rush-Bagot Agreement had important implications. It solidified the boundary between Canada and the United States, easing tensions along the frontier. By eliminating the need for large military flotillas on the lakes, it allowed both countries to focus on internal development rather than military escalation. For Canada, this also meant the beginning of a shift from being a British military outpost to developing a more peaceful and cooperative relationship with its southern neighbor.

The agreement’s influence extended beyond the military sphere. It helped foster a sense of shared responsibility between Canada and the U.S. for the stewardship of the Great Lakes, one of North America's most significant environmental and economic resources. This spirit of cooperation around shared waters would later form the foundation of various environmental agreements and policies between the two nations.

The Rush-Bagot Agreement also contributed to the gradual evolution of Canada’s path toward full sovereignty. While it was negotiated by the British government, the disarmament terms it established would later influence Canada’s own diplomatic posture as it moved toward greater autonomy in its foreign affairs. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as Canada began to play a more prominent role in international diplomacy, agreements like Rush-Bagot served as early models of peaceful resolution and the management of international boundaries.

From a broader perspective, the Rush-Bagot Agreement helped set a tone of peaceful coexistence between the U.S. and Canada that persists to this day. It represented an early example of how diplomacy could resolve conflicts without military engagement, a lesson that echoed in subsequent Anglo-American relations. The agreement’s focus on demilitarization and the prevention of escalation also foreshadowed future arms control treaties that would become a central aspect of international diplomacy.

In sum, the Rush-Bagot Agreement of 1817 was a cornerstone of early Canadian-American diplomacy, marking the beginning of a peaceful border between the two nations. Its implications for military strategy, economic development, environmental stewardship, and Canadian sovereignty continue to resonate in the modern relationship between Canada and the United States, making it one of the most significant diplomatic achievements in North American history.

The following letters contain the standing agreement between Great Britain and the United States as to the naval force to be maintained by either country in the Great Lakes.

Mr. Bagot to Mr. Rush. Washington, April 28th, 1817.

The undersigned, His Britannic Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, has the honour to acquaint Mr. Rush, that having laid before His Majesty's Government the correspondence which passed last year between the Secretary of the Department of State and the undersigned upon the subject of a proposal to reduce the Naval Force of the respective countries upon the American Lakes, he has received commands of His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, to acquaint the Government of the United States, that His Royal Highness is willing to accede to the proposition made to the undersigned by the Secretary of the Department of State in his note of the 2nd of August last.

His Royal Highness acting in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty, agrees, that the Naval force to be maintained upon the American Lakes by His Majesty and the Government of the Unites States shall henceforth be confined to the following vessels on each side. That is: -

On Lake Ontario to one vessel not exceeding one hundred Tons burthen and armed with one eighteen pound cannon.

On the upper lakes to two vessels not exceeding like burthen each and armed with like force.

On the waters of Lake Champlain to one vessel not exceeding like burthen and armed with like force.

And His Royal Highness agrees that all other armed vessels on these Lakes shall be forthwith dismantled, and that no other vessels of war shall be there built or armed.

His Royal Highness further agrees that if either Party should hereafter be desirous of annulling this stipulation and should give notice to that effect to the other Party, it shall cease to be binding after the expiration of six months from the date of such notice.

The undersigned has it in command from His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, to acquaint the American Government, that His Royal Highness has issued orders to His Majesty's officers on the lakes directing that the Naval force so to be limited shall be restricted to such services as will in no respect interfere with the proper duties of the armed vessels of the other Party.

The undersigned has the honour to renew to Mr. Rush the assurances of his highest consideration.

Charles Bagot.

Mr. Rush to Mr. Bagot. Department of State, April 29th, 1817.

The undersigned, acting Secretary of State, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Bagot's note of the 28th of this month informing him that, having laid before the Government of His Britannic Majesty, the correspondence which passed last year between the Secretary of State and himself upon the subject of a proposal to reduce the naval force of the two countries upon the American Lakes, he had received the commands of His Royal Highness, The Prince Regent, to inform this Government that His Royal Highness was willing to accede to the proposition made by the Secretary of State in his note of the second of August last.

The undersigned has the honor to express to Mr. Bagot the satisfaction which the President feels at His Royal Highness, The Prince Regent's having acceded to the proposition of this Government as contained in the note alluded to. And in further answer to Mr. Bagot's note, the undersigned, by direction of the President, has the honor to state, that this Government, cherishing the same sentiments expressed in the note the second of August, agrees, that the naval force to be maintained upon the Lakes of the United States and Great Britain shall henceforth, be confined to the following vessels on each side - that is:

On Lake Ontario to one vessel not exceeding One Hundred Tons burden and armed with an eighteen pound cannon. On the Upper Lakes to two vessels not exceeding the like burden each, and armed with like force, and on the waters of Lake Champlain to one vessel not exceeding like burden and armed with like force.

And it agrees that all other armed vessels on these Lakes, shall be forthwith dismantled, and that no other vessels of war shall be there built or armed. And if further agrees, that if either party should hereafter be desirous of annulling this stipulation and should give notice to that effect to the other party, it shall cease to be binding after the expiration of six months from the date of such notice.

The undersigned, is also directed by The President to state, that proper orders will be forthwith issued by this Government to restrict the naval force thus limited to such services as will in no respect interfere with the proper duties of the armed vessels of the other party.

The undersigned, eagerly avails himself of this opportunity to tender to Mr. Bagot the assurances of his distinguished consideration and respect.

Richard Rush.