United States Battleship NEW JERSEY

Publisher Britton & Rey

Date1908

Object number00004048

NamePostcard

MediumPrinted ink on paper

DimensionsOverall: 87 x 137 mm

ClassificationsPosters and postcards

Credit LineANMM Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds

Terms

DescriptionThe United States battleship NEW JERSEY is shown travelling in Australian waters on this postcard. The hand coloured photograph was published by Britton & Rey, one of many postcard designs that were printed to commemorate the visit of the Great White Fleet to Sydney, Melbourne and Albany in 1908.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. USS NEW JERSEY was launched on 10 November 1904 and conducted its first training exercises in the Atlantic and Caribbean Ocean. NEW JERSEY was involved in the American Great White Fleet tour in 1908. It also served in World War I before being decommissioned on 6 August 1920.SignificanceThis postcard represents the United States battleship NEW JERSEY and the memorabilia produced to commemorate the tour of the Great White Fleet in 1908.