The Great White

This is one of our tablecloths. We have had it for a long time but neither of us can remember where we got it from. It is only used on rare high days and holidays. I was ironing it the other day (badly as you can see) when I thought I ought to really have a go at reading the indistinct motif in the middle. NB It is a white cloth and I have jacked up the contrast so that the motif is visible.
 
So we have GREAT WHITE FLEET and when I Googled it I came up with the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a journey around the globe from December 16, 1907, to February 22, 1909, by order of President Theodore Roosevelt. Ostensibly a training exercise  but really sending a message to countries like Japan that the USA was a force to be reckoned with. The ships, normally battle-gray, were painted white on that occasion because it presented a more snappy appearance. Napery marking the event does exist and is for sale. Not sure whether it was actually used on the ships. However, there would be a USA insignia on it.
 
When I looked for it I found a UFC insignia instead. Googling “Great White Fleet UFC” revealed that Roosevelt had been beaten by many years by the United Fruit Company! 
These were the cargo-liners that are known today as “banana boats” and were instrumental in helping to establish the Banana Republics throughout the Caribbean, and Central and South America.. The ships were painted white to reflect the tropical sun and help keep the temperature of the bananas lower, hence the name They carried passengers so it seems possible that our tablecloth may have seen active service! However the Great White Fleet provided a service for over a hundred years so maybe it it is not that old.
 

Ah well, back to the ironing.