In 1912, during the excavations for the new additions to the famous castle-like Empress Hotel, a brilliant flash of light and a thunderous splash was heard for miles around, as an unidentified object came exploding down from the night sky, into the water of Victoria's Inner Harbor. Government authorities were quick to respond and descended in force upon the phenomenon, before too many public, prying eyes could view it. With strict police and military precision, they dredged the object up from the water, and moved it surreptitiously, under the cover of tarps and darkness, to the hotel nearby.