[APPENDIX D.]
A RECORD OF THE "DIAMOND ANTHEM."
20th June, 1897.
From Sons of England Record.
The imaginative description given by Daniel Webster in 1834 of the "Morning drumbeat which, following the sun and keeping company with the hours, circles the earth with one continuous strain of the martial airs of England" has been for many years the ideal example for estimating the world-spread area of the British Empire. It seemed at the time, and was, a poetic fancy, but since that time the domiciles of the British peoples have been more amply developed and more closely spread so that the world is now encircled not simply with isolated military posts, but by a continuous line of happy British homes.
The time for the celebration of the 60th year of the accession of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, so aptly named, by His Royal Highness Prince of Wales (now Edward VII), the Diamond Jubilee, was approaching and many projects were rife to give expression to the loyalty and affection of Her Majesty's subjects.
The official day set for the celebration was Tuesday, June 22nd, 1897, a date which was preceded by Sunday, June 20th, the actual anniversary of Her Majesty's accession.
Mr. Barlow Cumberland was then the President, and Mr. Jno. W. Carter the Secretary, of the Supreme Lodge of the "Sons of England Benevolent Society." This is an organization which had been initiated in Canada in 1874 for the purpose of joining together colonists who had emigrated from England, or their descendants, for patriotic, benevolent and social purposes; to welcome new-comers and be of fraternal assistance to one another. The Society had flourished and Lodges had been formed in all parts of Canada. A branch organization had been established in the Colonies of South Africa and connections had been opened in Australia. A compact and energetic organization therefore was ready to hand in the larger parts of the Colonial Empire. The members of the Society were actively joining in the arrangements for all the local celebrations for the 22nd, in which they afterwards took fullest share. Mr. Cumberland made the proposal that they should do something more and should in addition, organize a world-wide incident which their far-spread organization would enable them to do, and which would be the further tribute of the Sons of England to their Queen and a testimony of the fidelity which they had carried to their new homes beyond the seas. Besides being President of this, and of other National Societies, Mr. Cumberland had for many years been actively engaged in steamship and railway operations, so was peculiarly qualified for the requirements for completing such an enterprise.
His conception and proposal was the "Diamond Jubilee Anthem," to be sung around the world, following the sun, on Sunday, June 20th, the actual anniversary day.