Western Front
Georges Guynemer shares shooting down of Freiburg-based Gotha bomber near Bouconville; this 32nd victim goes on display in Paris.
Sailly-Saillisel ridge (Hill 153, Somme) taken by the British with 78 prisoners.
From Grandcourt British make minor advances on both banks of the Ancre.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Egypt: (also reported for yesterday) British operations against the Senussi come to an and (see 5th, and November 23rd, 1915).
Naval and Overseas Operations
Adriatic: Grand Admiral Baron Anton von Haus, C-in-C Austro-Hungarian Fleet dies of lung disease aboard flagship
Viribus Unitis aged 65
http://imgur.com/SA9UPGg ; Emperor Charles attends funeral. Senior Vice-Admiral Njegovan (1st Squadron) succeeds, also made Admiralty Chief (April 30).
North Sea: Destroyer
HMS Thrasher sinks
UC-39 with depth charges off Flamborough Head.
Channel: Dover Strait minefield completed by Royal Navy minelayers, but has to be swept and relaid (June-July). HM Destroyer
Gurkha mined and sunk.
UC-46 rammed and sunk by destroyer
Liberty southeast of Goodwin Sands.
Britain: War Cabinet decide only to continue with building battlecruiser
Hood; 3 sister ships suspended on march 9 as Germans known to have stopped work on capital ships.
Political, etc.
Germany: Neutral sources (falsely) report that Mr. Gerard is being held hostage in Berlin and not allowed to communicate with U.S.A.
France: French Chamber of Deputies authorizes the Finance Minister to lend $300 million to Allied and friendly countries.
To save fuel, Paris theaters will be closed four days a week and streetcars and subways will cease operations by 10 pm.
United Kingdom: Zimmermann telegram made public from the Royal Navy Room 40 decrypt: ‘… you are desired … to broach … an alliance to the President [Carranza of Mexico] … The President might, even now… sound Japan’.
United States: Wilson proposes to Britain that Allies declare against Austro-Hungary’s total break up but Lloyd George declines on February 11.
President Wilson makes assurances that foreign property and other assets will not be taken even if the U.S. goes to war.
Sweden: Sweden also rejects President Wilson’s call to break off relations with Germany, stating they will continue to maintain neutrality.