The excerpt below is from a treaty signed by the United States in 1922. Article IV
The total capital ship replacement tonnage of each of the Contracting Powers shall
not exceed in standard displacement, for the United States 525,000 tons (533,400
metric tons); for the British Empire 525,000 tons (533,400 metric tons); for France
175,000 tons (177,800 metric tons); for Italy 175,000 tons (177,800 metric tons); for
Japan 315,000 tons (320,040 metric tons).
What was the primary objective of this treaty?
to limit the destructiveness of war by limiting the number of warships
to maintain freedom of the seas
to help the British police their vast empire without foreign interference
to promote open trade between different regions of the world