The Great White Fleet and the US Navy's arrival

Did the Great White Fleet's world tour have a meaningful effect?

Yes; it publicly demonstrated what the growing US Navy could do and marked its emergence as a major sea power.

The Great White Fleet's voyage effectively displayed American capability. Sending the battleships around the world converted fleet construction into a message that foreign governments and publics could see. The cruise belongs to the period in which the US Navy was emerging as a major international force. Its value lay as much in signaling reach and confidence as in testing the ships themselves.