On the Atlantic Ocean it was taken up on many British ships at sea, among which a few only may be mentioned. R.M.S. Tantallon Castle, lat. 7° 17' n.: long. 14° 33' w., off west coast of Africa: "Guns fired and Anthem sung at 4 p.m." S.S. Greek, lat. 18° 10' n.; long. 17° 38' w.: "Fired rocket and sang National Anthem." S.S. Numidian: "'God Save the Queen' sung precisely at 4 p.m." Ship's position, lat. 54° 42' n.; long. 20° 43' w. S.S. Catalonia: "At 4 p.m. I had two explosive gun signals fired on my ship in lat. 50° 12' n.; long. 22° 6' w. It was blowing a south-west gale with high seas, and it was a great disappointment to me that we could not hold the service I had intended, but all classes of passengers were so seasick."
By the equivalent time of 7.31 o'clock in the evening at Windsor Castle the Anthem had crossed the Atlantic, and first touched the shores of America at St. John's, Newfoundland, when it was met by Lodge Dudley S.O.E. assembled, together with the Governor-General and all the friendly societies in the cathedral. "The service was impressive in the extreme." From here westward through Canada the records of the reports in the time-table appended show how that as the sun crossed the continent the line through the villages, towns and cities of Canada was so complete that the singing of the Anthem in one place had not ceased before it was taken up in the next. Brief extracts from the reports of a few only can be given. Charlottetown, P.E.I.: "The First Methodist Church was crowded to the doors with members of the Orangemen, Good Templars, Oddfellows, Masons and the Mayor and City Officials. At the proper moment the church rang with the grand old strains of the National Anthem." Halifax, N.S.: "St. Paul's Church was filled to its utmost. Among those present were Countess Aberdeen, General Montgomery Moore and Admiral Erskine with their staffs. At 4.14 o'clock the Anthem was sung right loyally." Montreal, Que. "Services were held in four churches and all well attended. At Christ Church Cathedral a large military church parade was held and as in the others the Anthem sung at the appointed time." Ottawa: "All the local societies joined in a church parade to Christ Church Cathedral. At 4.03 o'clock the Guards Band struck up the National Anthem, which was heartily joined in by all." Pembroke: "The form of union service was held in the Town Hall, all societies joining. In order to join in the Anthem at the right moment the Mayor cut down his remarks." Brockville: "Every corner of the church was occupied. As the Town clock struck four the entire congregation rose and sang. An indefinable emotion passed over the people as they joined in the continuous hymn of loyalty as it circled with the sun around the world. Surely in the history of the world no monarch ever received such a glorious tribute of hearty affection and respect from her subjects." Orillia: "As the familiar words were sung with lusty fervour by nearly a thousand voices, until the volume almost raised the roof, the sun passed the hour of four. In imagination the congregation could hear the strains as they rolled up from the east and died away into the west." At Toronto: "3,000 people were packed into the cathedral. After completion of the prayers there remained four minutes before it was our turn to take our place in the circle of song. By direction of His Lordship the Bishop the congregation knelt in silent prayer for Her Majesty and the welfare of the Empire. An immense throng of 6,000 to 7,000 people filled the churchyard and the adjacent streets outside, and a regimental band had been stationed outside on the cathedral steps to lead their singing. At the first stroke of the cathedral bell, which had been arranged to strike at 4.18 p.m., being the real meridian time for 4 p.m. at Toronto, the congregation rose to their feet and at the second joined with those outside in uplifting with heart and voice their loyal prayer, 'God save our gracious Queen.' Those were moments of a life-time while we waited in silence for the coming of the Anthem." Hamilton: "The biggest hall in Hamilton is the Armory, but it wasn't big enough to hold every one who wished to take part, although 5,000 did manage to pack inside. Precisely at 4.20 o'clock the opening strains of 'God save the Queen' came from the band and the immense gathering rose and sang the Anthem with a vigour and earnestness never before heard. It was a time for everyone's heart to swell with pride that he or she was a Britisher, although thousands of miles distant from the Mother Land." Collingwood: "When at 4.21 the united choir and congregation joined in singing the National Anthem every heart responded to the noble thought that a link was being formed in the chain of prayer for the Queen that passed round the world that day from sunrise to sunset." Owen Sound: "It was a happy thought that suggested the gathering of the Fraternal Societies in the Queen's Park. Every face in the great throng beamed with pleasure as the grand chorus swelled upon the air from many throats." London: "The service was a memorable one, in every feature it was remarkable. The singing of the National Anthem which took place exactly at the appointed hour, 4.26 p.m., will not readily be forgotten by those present." Winnipeg, Man.: "The Sunday service surpassed anything ever known here before." Chilliwack, B.C.: "The great company joined enthusiastically in singing the National Anthem, which took place at 4 o'clock, astronomical time."
The utmost enthusiasm was everywhere displayed, the churches were crowded, and the details of the service faithfully carried out, immense interest being taken in singing the anthem exactly at the correct moment.
Thus actually minute after minute the Anthem strain followed the hours across this continent to the shores of the Pacific at Victoria, British Columbia, where an open-air service was held in the Public Park at the equivalent of 12.13 midnight at Windsor Castle. "Among those present at Beacon Hill Park were the Lieutenant-Governor, the Mayor, the Admiral and crews of the ships in harbour. At 4 o'clock the bugles rang out, the royal standard was run up to the masthead, and the National Anthem was sung with full force by an assemblage of 12,000 people."
From here, leaving the land, the Anthem wafted its way back to the place of beginning, being joined as it passed by the R.M.S. Aorangi, in lat. 32° 25' n., long. 147° 49' w., and by the R.M.S. Empress of China, lat. 41° 16' n., long. 152° 30' w. until at length it came to the little island which is as far on one side of long. 180°, the central degree of longitude, as Levuka, from where it had started, is on the other. Here the West met the East. As it is so typical, and as the closing report, it may be well to give in full the letter received from the lighthouse keeper on the island:
"Wailangilala Lighthouse, Fiji, "17° South, 179° 6' West Long., "26th September, 1897.
"To Barlow Cumberland, Esq., Toronto.
"My Dear Sir,—As you expressed a wish in your circular to hear how the anniversary of the day on which Her Majesty began her happy reign was observed in each locality, and also on board passenger ships at sea, I hope you will be pleased to hear that all your instructions were carried out here, as fully as circumstances permitted, my situation here being unique. As this is the connecting link between the western and eastern hemispheres it may happen that you will find by overlooking the places where the ceremony was observed, that my endeavours were successful in commencing or finishing the general celebration of the world. Being only 54 minutes west of the meridian, all ships passing either way ought to change the name of the day on their reckoning while within sight of this island. I obtained the correct astronomical time from the captain and officers of the steamer that calls here every three months. A doubt being expressed about the proper day, and as a good action could not be performed too often, I observed both the 20th and 21st June in the same way. I also had a bonfire lit on both nights, so that ships passing either eastward or westward could see that the anniversary was being kept to suit either contingency. I would have written you earlier but there has been no means of communication between this island since the 16th of June last until to-day.
"Alfred French, Lighthouse-keeper."