Exhibit 23.1

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated January 27, 2003, relating to the
consolidated financial statements, selected consolidated financial data and the
financial statement schedule of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(the "Company"), which reports are included or incorporated by reference in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 29,
2002. We also consent to the references to our firm under the caption "Experts"
in such Registration Statement.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
New York, New York
January 30, 2004