ndition of the University, without money, without
Statutes, a fact which was used as an excuse for withholding funds, with
but little sympathy from Provincial Government or Home Government, with
its few Professors unpaid and pleading even for fuel and light, with
unfinished and poorly equipped buildings falling rapidly into decay,
with grounds uncared for, and with a very small enrollment of students.

The Governors were determined, however, not to decrease the capital
funds of the College and that payments, if any, must be made out of
surplus revenue. In this they had the approval and co-operation of the
Board of the Royal Institution. Nor did they wish to dispose of any of
the land until it was absolutely necessary to do so, and then only with
a unanimous consent. They made an effort first to increase the value of
their real estate. A large portion of the land had been let for pasture
and for grass, but the leaseholders were slow to pay the rent and many
of them were several months in arrears. The Board of the Royal
Institution now endeavoured to collect all rents promptly when due. They
decided to discriminate between their own various debts. They would pay
tradesmen first, in the order of the age of their bills. When the
tradesmen had all been paid they would then pay the Professors, but not
until all other debts had first been liquidated. The Professors must
wait. An agreement was then entered into with the various creditors to
pay their debts off in installments. In order to secure more revenue the
students' fees were increased. They had already been raised from L3 to
L4 6s. 8d., of which L2 13s. 4d. went to the House Fund, 6s. 8d. to the
Bursar, the same amount to the Library, and L1 to the servants. The fees
were now advanced to L10. Every matriculant was also to pay L1 5s. to
the Bursar for his use and benefit, and all students were to deposit
10s. "caution money," to cover breakages and damages to furniture, this
deposit or the portion of it not used to be refunded in the spring.
Expenses during this period were reduced to a minimum. In 1845 the large
dining-hall or refectory had been given over to the Medical Faculty, and
one of the small rooms had then become the dining-room. In 1847,
however, because of the financial loss incurred even the small
dining-room was closed and, as we have seen, the students boarded with
Professors. In 1848, when Law students were first permitted to reside in
the College, it was o