The problem was therefore to have the National Anthem commenced in Fiji at the beginning of Her Majesty’s day, and sung thereafter precisely at 4 p.m., as the sun arrived at that moment in succession over each place in the Colonies, and passed onwards around the world.
A form of service was devised suitable for any Sunday afternoon service, to commence at 3.30, in which the National Anthem should be sung at the appointed moment of 4 o’clock.
Full descriptive circulars, forms of service, and a time-table of longitudes, prepared by the Meteorological Department of Canada, and showing the meridian or sun time at each place, were sent in multitude to friends and correspondents in every Colony and Dependency owning allegiance to the Union Jack.
With the co-operation of the Right Rev. The Bishop of Toronto, who is a member of our Order, communications were opened up with all the Colonial bishops and clergy, and their services were enlisted. Patriotic societies and the secretaries of the Royal Colonial Institute were asked by me to assist. Letters were sent to the captains of every British passenger ship which would be at sea on the 20th of June, asking them to sing the Anthem, fire a gun, and note the position of their ship at 4 p.m. on that day.
Our own brethren in Newfoundland and Canada and patriots in the United States took the service up with energy and enthusiasm. The Sons of England in South Africa answered with alacrity, Australia and New Zealand joined in heartily, and thus, by prompt and efficient action, the organization was completed and ready for the eventful day. Copies of the time-table were sent to Her Majesty, by reference to which it could be seen at any hour how far the Anthem had proceeded on its way and in what colony it was at any moment being sung.
In acknowledging receipt the Colonial Secretary, The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, says to His Excellency Lord Aberdeen: “I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of the 24th April with its enclosures on the subject of the Continuous Service around the World which is being arranged by the Sons of England in commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Queen’s Accession to the Throne. I have to inform you that, in accordance with your request, the matter has been brought before the notice of the Queen, and that Her Majesty was graciously pleased to express her sincere appreciation of the loyal feelings that have prompted this interesting method of Commemoration.”
The 20th of June came and the Anthem passed around the world.
Reports and letters kept coming in month after month in reply to my request and giving an account of the proceedings held in each place. A few extracts only can be give here as samples of many hundreds of similar character which have been received from the continuous line now recorded around the world.
The service commenced on Sunday afternoon 20th June in Levuka, Fiji Islands. Dr. Garner Jones, headmaster of the Levuka Public Schools, writes: “Owing to geographical position—viz., 178.51 E. long.—the inhabitants of Levuka, Fiji Islands, enjoyed the unique honor of initiating “The Wave of Song” that hailed the Jubilee (Diamond) of Her Majesty’s Ascension, a wave which travelled from colony to colony in order of longitude, encircling the entire globe.”
“The service was an open air one, being held in the Government school grounds, Rev. W. Floyd, vicar of the Episcopal English Church officiating. The attendance was large and included representatives of various races who claim Her Majesty as their Sovereign. English, Scotch, Irish, Australian and New Zealand Colonials, Chinese, Germans, Swedes, among whom the characteristic bushy hair of the Fijian and other South Sea Islanders was prominent, there found themselves shoulder to shoulder in the antipodes of the British Empire earnestly rolling forth our grand old National Anthem, thus giving the keynote of thanksgiving to the entire world. The Masons and Odd Fellows appeared in regalia and the Levuka brass band was in attendance. Surrounding the main body of the assembly were the Levuka school boys, drawn up with their wooden rifles at the “Order.”