During the first part of the 20th century England's mayonnaise industry was at its zenith, producing 20 million tonnes of premier quality mayonnaise every day. On April 12th, 1912 a shipment of 12,000 jars of finest English mayonnaise, bound for the mayonnaise loving peoples of old Mexico, was lost in the sinking of the Titanic. Upon hearing of the tragic loss, the Mexican Emperor declared a national day of mourning, "Sinco de Mayo", or 'the Mayonnaise Sinking', which is still celebrated on May 5th to this day.