The desk, and font were also decorated with flags and flowers. As soon as the doors were opened until the hour for commencing there was a steady influx of persons wishing to join in the service, and although extra seats had been placed in the aisles and the greatest trouble was taken to find room for the numbers who were constantly entering, it was found impossible to accommodate all. Seats had been provided for 790 persons, but including those who had to be contented with standing room, it is computed that over a thousand persons were present. Detachments attended from the Regiment, the Engineers, the Royal Artillery, from the Navy, the Volunteers, the Police, and a small body of men from the Taitam Works. Seats were also provided for Consuls, and for Naval and Military Officers. The Consuls present were—Colonel Withers, Consul for the United States; M. Rigoreau, Acting Consul for France; M. M. Grote, Consul-General for Austro-Hungary and for Russia, Mr. A. G. Romano, Consul-General for Portugal and for Brazil; and Mr. F. H. Slaghek, Acting Consul for Belgium. Before the service commenced several voluntaries were played by the organist, Mr. Sangster, which were listened to with great attention, most of those present being eager to judge of the merits of the new organ. As this was opened for the first time at this service it may not be out of place here to give a few details concerning it. It has been specially built for the Cathedral by Messrs. Walker and Sons, of London, and erected by Mr. Burdekin, of the same firm. There are in all forty-two stops of which we append a list:
GREAT. Double Diapason... 16 ft.
SWELL. Bourdon 16 ft.
Open Diapason...... 8 ft. Harm. Diapason 8 ft.
Stopd. Diapason 8 ft. Wald Flute Treble 4 ft.
Open Diapason 8 ft. Stopd. Diapason 8 ft.
Echo Gamba....... 8 ft. Voix Celestes 8 ft.
Principal 4 ft. Harmonie Flute (Tenor) 8 ft.
Twelfth 2|ft. Principal 4 ft.
Fifteenth 2 ft. Gemsboru 2' ft.
Mixture 3 ranks Mixture 2 ranks Posaune 8 ft.
Horn 8 ft. Clarion 4 ft.
Hautboy.... 8 ft. Vox Humana.... 8 ft.
Clarion 4 ft.
CHOIR ORGAN.
PEDAL ORGAN, 8 ft. Open Diapason...... 16 ft.
8 ft. Bourdon. 16 ft.
Lieblich Gedact... 8 ft. Principal 8 ft.
4 ft. Quint 12 ft.
4 ft. Trombone“ 16 ft.
8 ft.
*alciinal Diriens Flute Gemahora Clarionot
3 Composition Pedals Gt. 3 Composition Pedals Sw.
Tremulant Swell to draw with Vox Humana.
COUPLERS. 1 Swell to Pedals. 2 Swell to Great. 3 Great to Pedals. 4 Choir to Pedals. 5 Swell to Choir. 6 Super. Oct. Sw. to Gt. Padal Octave.
Owing to the unavoidable absence of several of its members. The paukahs also somewhat deadened the voices and had the same effect, though in a somewhat less degree, on the organ. About half-past ten o'clock the choir, headed by the clergy, marched in procession down the chancel and have to the central porch to await the arrival of His Excellency and the members of the Legislative Council. On their arrival His Excellency, with his aides-de-camp, preceded by the verger and followed by the members of the Council and the clergy and choir, proceeded to the seats reserved for them in the chancel, "God save the Queen" being sung as the processional hymn, the congregation joining in it. A special version of the national anthem had been prepared for the occasion, of which the first and last verses were the same as the original. The second verse, however, had been eliminated and the following introduced in its place:-
God, hear our nation's prayer, Safe in Thy loving care, Guard Thou our Queen.
Ruler of earth and sea, Through all eternity, In our blest Jubilee, Keep Thou our Queen.
The service was then proceeded with, the ordinary accession service being supplemented by the following prayer:
O Lord our God, who upholdest and governest all things in heaven and earth: receive our hearty thanksgivings for thy goodness to our country and Empire in preserving our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria on the throne of her Ancestors for the space of fifty years. We thank thee for keeping her in health, protecting her in danger, comforting her in sorrow, and making her long reign one of prosperity, peace and progress... Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, and glory and the victory and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and the earth is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou rulest over all, and in thy hand is power and might, and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now, therefore, our God, we praise thee and praise thy glorious name for all the goodness thou hast shewn to our beloved Queen these fifty years. And with these our thanksgivings we join our humble prayers, that thou wilt still watch over her during the remainder of her days on earth, and so together with her bless Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and all their Family, that they all, ever trusting in thy goodness, protected by thy power, and crowned with thy gracious and endless favour, may continue before thee in health, peace, joy and honour, live long and happy lives on earth, and after death obtain everlasting life and glory in the kingdom of heaven, by the merits and mediation of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end. Amen.
The clergy present were Right Rev. Bishop Burdon, and the Revs. F. Gace, O. Chesnut, J. B. Ost, A. G. Goldsmith, Fong Yat Sun (St. Stephen's Mission Church), and Coates (of the Cordelia), most of whom assisted in the service. At the conclusion of the service, previous to the benediction, the following hymn was sung:
O God, our fathers' God and ours, Before Thy throne we bow the knee: Pour down Thy mercy's richest showers Upon our Sovereign's jubilee.
We bless Thee for her blessed past, For holy thoughts of things that were; For love that must for ever last, And all Thy love to us in her;
For years of sunshine, calm and bright, And storm o'erclouded always rainbow-spann'd; For her sweet home, which sheds its light On homes of all our fatherland.
And with our praises one strong prayer From morn to night, from night to morn, Breathes on the universal air. And to the Throne of thrones is borne, Queen, God bless thee and defend, God make His face to shine on thee; The God of ours, world without end. Till earth keep heaven's great Jubilee.
Amen.
At noon a Royal salute of fifty guns was fired from the Victor Emanuel followed by a similar salute from the shore battery.
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