ANNUAL MEETING. 
433 
examination at the commencement of the ensuing Session, 
with the object, as far as possible, to raise the standard of 
veterinary education. But whilst entering upon this course 
of procedure, I cannot help observing that if each College, 
as in the above proposal, he allowed to conduct the examina- 
tion in question independently of each other and without the 
control of an impartial Body such as the Royal College of 
Veterinary Surgeons, it will be apt to degenerate into a mere 
sham, and can never under any circumstances be regarded 
by the profession as a guarantee of the proficiency of the 
candidates in the subjects examined upon. As the only means, 
therefore, of securing that the examination shall be genuine, 
and such as the profession can with confidence rely on, I 
intend to petition that the Royal College of Veterinary Sur- 
geons shall take the matter into their own hands, and if they 
have not the power at present, that such power be obtained, 
so that the preliminary examination shall be put on the same 
footing and be conducted in a manner similar to the profes- 
sional examination. 
(Signed) W. Williams, 
Principal Professor . 
The following was the reply from the Principal of the 
Glasgow Veterinary College: — 
Veterinary College, Glasgow ; 
August 1 st , 1870. 
John Wilkinson, Esq., 
President Poyal College of Veterinary Surgeons. 
Dear Sir, 
I am in receipt of letter dated 26th ultimo, 
enclosing copy of part of a communication addressed by Pro- 
fessor Spooner to you anent the preliminary educational test, 
and requesting an expression of my opinion on the present 
phase of the situation. 
I am exceedingly sorry to observe the position the Royal 
Veterinary College has taken up in this matter, and certainly 
think it would have been to the advantage of all concerned 
had the teaching Colleges and the licensing College joined 
hands in carrying out the matriculation examination. Since, 
however, this cannot be accomplished, I have resolved to 
carry out the suggestions made by the Council in their report 
of 21st June last, an extract of which I had the honour of 
receiving, with this reservation in the meantime, that the 
test, as formerly, be applied by myself and others connected 
with the Institution. 
(Signed) 
James McCall. 
