294 
J. COLLINS. 
years, he may retire from the service witli a gratuity according to 
the rates specified in Article 11. 
14. Every year it shall be competent for our Commander-in- 
Chief, on the recommendation of the Principal Veterinary Sur¬ 
geon, to select, with the approval of our Secretary of State, a 
number of veterinary surgeons, not exceeding four, who shall be 
retained in the service. 
15. A veterinary surgeon shall be eligible for promotion to 
the rank of first class veterinary surgeon on completing twelve 
years’ service. 
16. A veterinary surgeon of the first class shall serve fifteen 
years in our army as a commissioned officer before he shall be 
eligible for promotion to the rank of inspecting veterinary sur¬ 
geon. 
17. All promotion from the rank of veterinary surgeon to 
that of veterinary surgeon of the first class, and from the rank of 
veterinary surgeon of the first class to that of inspecting veter¬ 
inary surgeon, shall be given for ability and merit, upon the selec¬ 
tion of our Commander-in-Chief, with the approval of our Secre¬ 
tary of State; and the grounds of such selection shall be stated 
to us in writing and recorded in the Department. In all such 
cases the amount of foreign service shall be expressly stated. 
18. Officers of the Veterinary Department shall have a right 
to retire after twenty years’ service. Inspecting veterinary sur¬ 
geons, veterinary surgeons of the first class, and veterinary sur¬ 
geons, shall be placed on the retired list when they shall have at¬ 
tained the age of fifty-five years. 
Non-Effective Pay. 
19. An officer of the Veterinary Department placed on half¬ 
pay by reduction of establishment, or on the report of a medical 
board, in consequence of wounds or ill-health caused in and by 
the discharge of his duties, or placed on the retired list under 
Article 18, on account of having attained the age of fifty-five 
years, shall (subject to the provision in Article 21) be entitled to 
half-pay or retired pay at the following rates :— 
