100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

16th January 1922

The Provisional Government of Ireland begins administering Southern Ireland, with Michael Collins as its chairman. Michael Collins arriving in Dublin Castle for the handover of power.


Ship Losses:

Mark H. Gray (United Kingdom) The schooner was abandoned in ice off Lark Harbour, Newfoundland.
Roma (Norway) The cargo ship sank off Kombusch, Germany. Her crew were rescued by Rhea ( Finland).
Vesta (Germany) The cargo ship caught fire in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) south east of Lowestoft, Suffolk, United Kingdom. She was abandoned with the loss of ten of her twenty crew. Survivors were rescued by the trawler E.W.B. ( United Kingdom). The still-burning ship was taken in tow for Hook of Holland, Netherlands, by Zwarte Zee ( Netherlands).

[Jimbuna]

17th January 1922

D]elegation of Native American men from California representing 300 tribes and bands of Californian Indians assembled to petition Congress to honor the Lost Treaties of 1851 and 1852


Ship Losses:

USS A-2 (United States Navy) The Plunger-class submarine was sunk as a target.
USS B-3 (United States Navy) The B-class submarine was sunk as a target.

[Jimbuna]

18th January 1022

A U.S. Navy Curtiss CT torpedo bomber. The Navy originally ordered 9 of these bombers, but only one prototype was built and the order was cancelled.

[Jimbuna]

19th January 1922

Edward, Prince of Wales, with the Maharaja of Mysore during his royal tour of British India.


A 10,000 German Mark banknote begins circulation, as Germany's currency depreciates due to reparation payments to the Allies.


Ship Losses:

Agnes P. Duff (United Kingdom) The schooner was wrecked at St. John's, Newfoundland. Her crew were rescued.
Eileen Lake (Newfoundland) The schooner foundered in the Atlantic Ocean west of Newfoundland. Five crew were rescued by Persier ( Belgium).
Marceau (Marine Nationale) The Marceau-class ironclad came ashore at Tunis, Tunisia and was wrecked.

[Jimbuna]

20th January 1922

President Harding meets with wounded Great War veterans at the White House.


Decommissioned French ironclad Marceau runs aground off the coast of Bizerte, Tunisia while being towed for scrapping. Built in 1877, it served as a submarine tender during the Great War.


Ship Losses:

Emma Haubuss (Germany) The cargo ship came ashore at Agger, Denmark. Her crew were rescued.

[Jimbuna]

22nd January 1922

Pope Benedict XV has passed away due to pneumonia. While his efforts as Pope to negotiate an end the Great War was unsuccessful, he had success in improving Vatican ties with Italy and France.


Papal Swiss Guards carry the body of Pope Benedict into the Sistine Chapel.


Ship Losses:

Mod (Norway) The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with the loss of nine of her 32 crew. Survivors were rescued by Melmore Head and Montcalm (both United Kingdom).

[Jimbuna]

23rd January 1922

Delegates at the Irish Race Congress in Paris, attended by members of the Irish diaspora from around the world.


Irish Congress in Paris, De Valera (centre).


Ship Losses:

Pivoc (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was wrecked in the estuary of the Seine at Rouen, Seine Maritime, France.
Vigan (United States) The cargo ship suffered an engine failure and was beached on the north coast of Haitan Island, China.

[Jimbuna]

26th January 1922

Fireboat “Firefighter” sails through the icy Potomac River, Washington, D.C.


Ship Losses:

Quo Vadis (France) The schooner was driven ashore at Viana do Castelo, Portugal with the loss of two crew. The survivors were rescued.

[Jimbuna]

28th January 1922

Ship Losses:

Laura (Denmark) The schooner sprang a leak and sank off the Shetland Islands, United Kingdom. Four crew were rescued by a German trawler.
Optimist (United Kingdom) The schooner was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Six crew were rescued by Ampetico ( United Kingdom).

[Jimbuna]

29th January 1922

Ship Losses:

Antinous (United Kingdom) The cargo ship ran aground off Oporto, Portugal. She broke her back the next day and was abandoned as a total loss.
Santander (Spain) The bucket dredger sank at Santander, Cantabria.

[Jimbuna]

30th January 1922

The Permanent Court of International Justice sits for the first time at The Hague to cover preliminary business before its first session. Dutch jurist Bernard Loder is selected as its first president.

[Jimbuna]

31st January 1922

American delegates to the ongoing Washington Naval Conference.


The National Army of Ireland makes its first appearance as the Beggars Bush Barracks are handed over to Ireland by the British.

[Jimbuna]

1st February 1922

Jewish German politician Walther Rathenau is appointed the Foreign Minister of Germany. His position to follow the terms of the Versailles Treaty draws anger from German nationalists and the far right.


The Five Powers of UK, US, France, Italy, and Japan at the Washington Naval Conference agree on the final terms of the treaty to limit their navies. The signing of the treaty will occur February 6th


Yamagata Aritomo, the former Prime Minister of Japan and first Chief of Staff of the Imperial Army, has passed away. He was instrumental in fostering the ideology of Japanese militarism.


Ship Losses:

Eastern Dawn (United States) The cargo ship sank at Baltimore, Maryland.

[Jimbuna]

2nd February 1922

The Papal Conclave to elect the successor of Pope Benedict XV begins at the Vatican. Swiss Guards guarding the conclave.


Ship Losses:

USAT Northern Pacific (United States Army) The troopship caught fire and sank in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) off Cape May, New Jersey.

[Jimbuna]

3rd February 1922

Christiaan de Wet, Boer general and last acting State President of the Orange Free State, has passed away.


Ship Losses:

Felix (Denmark) The schooner came ashore south of Leixões, Portugal. Her crew were rescued.
Gaspe (United Kingdom) The barquentine was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by Queen Louise ( United Kingdom).
Joseph S. Zeman (United States) Carrying a cargo of coal, the 253-foot (77 m), 1,956-gross register ton five-masted schooner ran aground off the coast of Maine on Metinic Island Ledge — a reef off Metinic Island — broke up, and sank without loss of life in up to 50 feet (15 m) of water at 43°53.76′N 069°10.00′W.
Malpas Belle (United Kingdom) The schooner came ashore at Seaton, Devon. All six crew were rescued.