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Souvenir to commemorate the visit of the Great American Fleet
Souvenir to commemorate the visit of the Great American Fleet

Souvenir to commemorate the visit of the Great American Fleet

Date1908
Object number00015260
NamePostcard
MediumCardboard, ink
DimensionsOverall: 82 x 136 mm
ClassificationsPosters and postcards
Credit LineANMM Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionThis coloured postcard commemorates the visit of the American fleet to Australia in 1908 during their peace time world tour. It depicts navy ships surrounded by an Australian flag, American flag and a medallion of the Union Jack. It specifically celebrates the arrival of the fleet to Sydney on 20 August 1908 and the reverse bears a handwritten note addressed to a 'Miss Rene Kuhn'.HistoryIn December 1907 United States President Theodore Roosevelt sent a US Atlantic Battle Fleet of 16 battleships on a 14 month goodwill cruise around the world. The fleet was a chance for the Navy to practice seamanship and express America's world power. Roosevelt was also concerned about rising Japanese aggression and their expansionist foreign policy. The cruise would be a political and public relations exercise to build domestic support for more naval construction. Led by the flagship, USS CONNECTICUT, the Great White Fleet as it became known, consisted of 16 battleships painted white, as was the practice of all US Navy ships in times of peace. The ships sailed in four divisions of four ships each. Early in the voyage the order of the ships was altered to allow the best-looking vessels to be at the front of the fleet. The cruise incorporated six continents, 26 countries and 32 ports with 614 officers and 13,504 crew. It consumed 435,000 tons of coal, more than any other naval expedition and was the largest fleet to ever accomplish a circumnavigation of the globe. Australia was not originally on the itinerary route of the Great White Fleet, who only decided to visit after receiving a direct invitation from the Prime Minister Alfred Deakin. One quarter of the Australian population, over one million people, saw the Great White Fleet during its three-week visit to Sydney, Melbourne and Albany. Public holidays were declared and enthusiastic crowds flocked to see the ships and parades. Vast arrays of souvenirs were produced for a population caught up in the euphoria generated by the Great White Fleet's world tour. Badges, medallions, pins, postcards and photographs all reflected the enthusiasm surrounding a potential new and powerful ally. These postcards typically represent America and Australia as cooperative partners and commonly depict national motifs including flags, emblems and banners.SignificanceAustralia welcomed the United State’s Great White Fleet tour in 1908 through the production of souvenir items such as this postcard, which demonstrate the excitement the visit generated in the Australian public.