ROYAL COLLEGE OP VETERINARY SURGEONS. 367 
cultural Society we have been asked to give our assistance. 
This fact shows you the influence which the Society possesses 
abroad as well as at home, and how much importance is 
attached to its connexion with veterinary matters. Surely 
this may be taken as an assurance that it will do its utmost 
to promote the interests of our profession. 
Mr . Christy: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I have the 
honour to propose to you the healths of the Principal Vete- 
rinary Surgeon to the Army, and the Senior Veterinary 
Surgeon to the Ordnance. I believe Mr. Wilkinson has but 
lately succeeded to the position which he now occupies. I 
am sure he will find that he has an arduous task to perform, 
and I hope he may be successful in answering the demands 
which at present exist for his active and assiduous labours. 
Mr. Stockley is a gentleman who has had long experience, 
and he has performed very valuable services to his country. 
I do not know whether he has experienced any of that 
j paralysis which is said to have pervaded some of our depart- 
ments ; but if he had been called upon to exercise more 
speed, and to put forth increased exertion, we should not 
have had so many difficulties to encounter. We must, how- 
ever, remember that he is only the servant of those above 
him, though the service which he has to perform is of a very 
important nature. 
Mr. Wilkinson , in reply, said : I beg to return you my 
most sincere thanks for the manner in which this toast has 
been received. Allow me, however, to say, that this being 
the first time I have had the honour of meeting my profes- 
sional brethren since my appointment to the office 1 hold, 
and although I receive a part of your kind cheers as a 
personal compliment to myself, in the main I have no doubt 
that the compliment is paid to the office I fill. The presence 
of our illustrious guest prevents my saying how much I am 
indebted to His Royal Highness for that office. The pride 
of my life has been to act as a subordinate under His Royal 
Highness, and it would be ungrateful in me if I were not to 
tell you that he is one of the warmest friends of our 
profession that we have in the world. (Cheers.) Let me 
say, gentlemen, that it will be my constant desire to elevate, 
if possible, the standing of our profession, by upholding as 
far as lies in my power, the position of those with whom I 
am connected, and who have the honour to hold a commis- 
sion in Her Majesty’s service. I am much gratified to see 
such a numerous assemblage of my professional brethren, 
and also to meet men who are eminent in the sister science ; 
but chiefly am I gratified to meet His Royal Highness, the 
