Dec. 6--Germans captured Ipek (Montenegro).

Dec. 13--British defeat Arabs on western frontier of Egypt.

Dec. 15--Sir John French retired from command of the army in France and Flanders, and is succeeded by Sir Douglas Haig.

Dec. 17--Russians occupied Hamadan (Persia).

Dec. 19--The British forces withdrawn from Anzac and Sulva Bay (Gallipoli Peninsula).

Dec. 26--Russian forces in Persia occupied Kashan.

Dec. 30--British pa.s.senger steamer "Persia" sunk in Mediterranean, presumably by submarine.

1916.

Jan. 8--Complete evacuation of Gallipoli.

Jan. 13--Fall of Cettinje, capital of Montenegro.

Jan. 18--United States Government sets forth a declaration of principles regarding submarine attacks and asks whether the governments of the Allies would subscribe to such an agreement.

Jan. 28--Austrians occupy San Giovanni de Medici (Albania).

Feb. 10--Germany sends memorandum to neutral powers that armed merchant ships will be treated as warships and will be sunk without warning.

Feb. 15--Secretary Lansing makes statement that by international law commercial vessels have right to carry arms in self-defense.

Feb. 16--Germany sends note acknowledging her liability in the "Lusitania" affair.

Feb. 16--Kamerun (Africa) conquered.

Feb. 21-July--Battle of Verdun. Germans take Ft. Douaumont (Feb. 25).

Great losses of Germans with little results. Practically all the ground lost was slowly regained by the French in the autumn.

Feb. 24--President Wilson in letter to Senator Stone refuses to advise American citizens not to travel on armed merchant ships.

Feb. 27--Russians captured Kerman-shah (Persia).

Mar. 8--German amba.s.sador communicates memorandum regarding U-boat question, stating it is a new weapon not yet regulated by international law.

Mar. 8--Germany declares war on Portugal.

Mar. 19--Russians entered Ispahan (Persia).

Mar. 24--French steamer "Suss.e.x" is torpedoed without warning; about 80 pa.s.sengers, including American citizens, are killed or wounded.

Mar. 25--Department of State issues memorandum in regard to armed merchant vessels in neutral ports and on the high seas.

Mar. 27-29--United States Government instructs American amba.s.sador in Berlin to inquire into sinking of "Suss.e.x" and other vessels.

Apr. 10--German Government replies to United States notes of March 27, 28, 29, on the sinking of "Suss.e.x" and other vessels.

Apr. 17--Russians capture Trebizond.

Apr. 18--United States delivers what is considered an ultimatum that unless Germany abandons present methods of submarine warfare United States will sever diplomatic relations.

Apr. 19--President addressed Congress on relations with Germany.

Apr. 24-May 1--Insurrection in Ireland.

Apr. 29--Gen. Townshend surrendered to the Turks before Kut-el-Amara.

May 4--Reply of Germany acknowledges sinking of the "Suss.e.x" and in the main meets demands of the United States.

May 8--United States Government accepts German position as outlined in note of May 4, but makes it clear that the fulfillment of these conditions can not depend upon the negotiations between the United States and any other belligerent Government.

May 16--June 3--Great Austrian attack on the Italians through the Trentino.

May 19--Russians join British on the Tigris.

May 27--President in address before League to Enforce Peace says United States is ready to join any practical league for preserving peace and guaranteeing political and territorial integrity of nations.

May 31--Naval battle off Jutland.

June 4-30--Russian offensive in Volhynia and Bukovina. Czernovitz taken (June 17); all Bukovina overrun.

June 5--Lord Kitchener drowned.

June 21--United States demands apology and reparation from Austria-Hungary for sinking by Austrian submarine of "Petrolite," an American vessel.

July 1-Nov.--Battle of the Somme. Combles taken (Sept. 26). Failure of the Allies to break the German lines.

Aug. 6-Sept.--New Italian offensive drives out Austrians and wins Gorizia (Aug. 9).

Aug. 27--Italy declares war on Germany.

Aug. 27-Jan. 15, 1917--Roumania enters war on the side of the Allies and is crushed. (Fall of Bucharest, Dec. 6; Dobrudja conquered, Jan. 2; Focsani captured, Jan. 8).

Oct. 8--German submarine appears off American coast and sinks British pa.s.senger steamer "Stephano."

Oct. 28--British steamer "Marina" sunk without warning (6 Americans lost).

Nov. 6--British liner "Arabia" torpedoed and sunk without warning in Mediterranean.

Nov. 29--United States protests against Belgian deportations.

Dec. 12--German peace offer. Refused (Dec. 30) by Allies as "empty and insincere."