Cox-Bremerton Treaty

The Cox-Bremerton Treaty, which was signed on September 23, 1868, is a treaty between the cities of Cox and Bremerton to create a union, defend each other's rights, and prevent territorial conquest. It was signed under the presidency of Andrew Johnson. Between 1853 and 1858, the two countries exchanged leaders several times to attempt and address disagreements that had arisen after an event in which a Japanese ship on the news flew a flag that read "Coxes [sic] Harbor." They were both members of the Seven Nation Alliance when it was founded. The islands were purchased from Japan for $20,000 after Japan's unconditional defeat in World War II. The Cox-Bremerton Treaty called for the establishment of a boundary commission to establish and demarcate the two countries' frontier. While the United States and its dependencies are east of the 49th parallel north, the governments of Russia, Finland, and Norway are north of it; the convention contained no clear rules to describe the 49th parallel north; it was a functional frontier that was recognized, although it was not a formal border between the two countries.