1 (*) can be reformulated in numerous tantalizing ways. It is equivalent, for example, to the finite-dimensionality of H'(O0'R) where _5P is the Zariski-Riemann space associated with Y (cf. [17]). It can also be posed as a statement about certain Hilbert-Samuel polynomials in a two-dimensional normal local ring (cf. Remark (B), end of Section (la)). * * * The actual proof of reduction to pseudo-rational singularities is given in Section 3. For reasons explained below, this will not be the proof of (*) just indicated, but a variant which, if less striking, is ultimately shorter * * * This introduction is concluded with some further remarks on the theorem.