History of the Union Jack and Flags of the EmpireCumberland, Barlow
History
History of the Union Jack and Flags of the Empire
Cumberland, Barlow
Emblems -- Great Britain; Flags -- Great Britain
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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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