354 ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
in connection with certain other arrangements, that no 
material falling off will be experienced next year. 
An important measure has been adopted by your Council, 
which, they are aware, is open to the grave consideration of 
the profession at large, and on which, doubtless, diversified 
views w ill be entertained ; this is the reduction of the fee for 
examination and admission into the body corporate. The re- 
duction, made at the suggestion of the authorities connected 
with the Royal Veterinary College, has been from ten guineas 
to seven, and the measure has been acceded to solely for the 
purpose of ensuring that cordial unanimity of feeling and 
action, the want of which has hitherto prevented the full 
development of those beneficial results which the Charter 
should be the means of diffusing. It is quite possible that 
the step thus taken, for the object of obtaining unanimity and 
co-operation, may seriously affect the, at present, only source 
of income the College has to rely on ; and should the hoped- 
for result fail to be secured, some other means of supply 
must be had recourse to ; but if, on the other hand, it suc- 
ceeds, and the schools and influential bodies connected w ith 
them unite in giving their cordial support to the corporate 
body, the benefit to the profession at large will more than 
compensate for any pecuniary loss the College funds may 
sustain. The reduction was offered last year to the patrons 
and professors in Scotland, but we regret to say it w r as not, 
in the spirit in w hich it w 7 as offered, responded to, and was, 
consequently, withdrawn. 
In conclusion, the Council regret that another year has 
passed without the veterinary profession having become that 
united body which w 7 as so fondly anticipated on the obtain- 
ment of the Charter. May the question be asked, for the 
last time, w hose fault has this been ? and may it be replaced 
by this — How 7 can it now 7 be accomplished ? If party views 
are abolished, if personal differences are laid aside, and if the 
one great and good object, the advancement of our profes- 
sion, is steadfastly and disinterestedly kept in view 7 , no pow 7 er 
on earth can prevent its accomplishment; and we might 
then hope to hail the approach of the period when it shall 
be considered an honour to become a member of the Royal 
College of Veterinary Surgeons. 
E. N. Gabriel, 
Secretary . 
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, 
10, Red Lion Square; April , 1857. 
