Excerpt from Transactions of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland, Vol. 51: Fifty-First Session, 1907-1908

Professor archibald barr, d.sc., (member) said he had been asked to propose a formal vote of thanks to their new President for the most interesting and eloquent address to which they had just listened. Mr Ward was a shipbuilder and an engineer, and, therefore, he was peculiarly fitted to speak to all of them, and the story of the development of steam engineering, more especially during the past fifty years, which he had related could not have been told in a more fascinating manner than in the address they had heard that evening. The story was one which had many lessons, and Mr Ward had indicated some of these. One was rather apt sometimes to think that men who were of a particularly inventive turn of mind were likely to go astray or be led away by their own inventions. Mr Ward had quoted from the prophet Daniel many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased. A later philosopher quoted these words and added to them, Surely the plain rule is, let every considerate man have his way and see what it will lead to, for not this man nor that man, but all men make up mankind, and their united tasks the tasks of mankind. If indeed they all persevered on their own lines there was no doubt that it would be found that there were fish in the sea as good as ever came out of it. The age of invention was not past. He was sure that they were delighted to have heard Mr Ward's eloquent address, and to the younger members especially, he thought it would be a great encouragement as showing them what progress had been made in the recent past, and what was expected of them in carrying forward such progress in the future. He proposed that a hearty vote of thanks be given to Mr Ward for his address.

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