Possible Clues:

• A little naval vessel that never goes to sea
• Woolworth initially invested in mouldy ragout, given struggling competition
• Physical contest with rope-pulling teams
• Strong contest one's backed to win
• Contest in which teams pull a rope
• No battleship? Indeed, no ship at all
• Struggle (between Greeks?)
• Hardly a capital ship, but it has great manpower
• What tension that little naval vessel creates!
• Is that a contest for one of the little naval ships?