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.
"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.