The Great White Fleet, 1908

The fleet was given a tremendous welcome. Thursday 20 August 1908 was a public holiday and a week-long celebration followed.

Buildings and streets were decorated and illuminated at night. There were daylight and night time fireworks displays.

Excursions were arranged for the Americans to visit Manly, Parramatta, Newcastle, The National Park, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains.

A Royal Parade took place at Centennial Park and a public schools display at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Ferry services were temporarily suspended while the Great White Fleet moored on 20 August and public transport was overcrowded as people flocked to the harbour.

The Newtown and Dulwich Hill lines experienced overload from 5am, the Belmore service was reduced causing dangerous crowding with "passengers being carried on the sides of the engines during certain trips, numbers being left behind and these eventually made for the trams."

Many spectators had to walk much of the way. "On the Watson's Bay line the loading was heavy from the start, in fact a number of people walked before the special service commenced, starting out almost from daylight as they were unable to get accommodation..." and "at 7am there were thousands walking from Elizabeth St to Erskine St to get accommodation." Trams had to stop running on King Street due to the "congested state of the thoroughfare" where "poles were being pulled off the overhead wire and passengers were riding on the roofs to a dangerous extent."