SOME RECENT ENGINEERING EXPERIENCES. 967 
SECTION H. 
ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING. 
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
oy A. B. Moncrierr, M. Inst. C.E., M. Am. Soc. C.E., Engineer- 
in-Chief, Railways and Public Works, South Australia. 
(Delivered Friday, 7 January, 1898.) 
NOTES ON SOME RECENT ENGINEERING 
EXPERIENCES. 
HaAvinG this year been elected to the Presidency of the Engineering 
and Architectural section of the Association, I desire to express 
to this meeting my high appreciation of the honor so conferred. 
Privileges carry with them responsibilities, and the presidency of 
Section H is no exception to the rule. 
The onerous duties of directing the affairs of a large department, 
especially during the closing weeks of a session of Parliament and 
in the middle of an Australian summer, leave little time for the 
preparation of an address worthy of the occasion which has 
brought us together. To deal exhaustively with any special 
subject is, therefore, out of the question ; that must be left to 
those whose leisure yields them the opportunity which some so 
ably use to the advantage of the profession. To attempt a general 
description of engineering progress would be but to furbish up 
gleanings from the scientific press, which of recent years has kept 
all reading men so well informed in regard thereto. Therefore, 
the only course open to me is to lay before you notes on some 
recent departmental engineering experiences in which I have been 
personally interested, the records of which have not appeared in 
the public prints, and which—but for this opportunity—would 
in all probability remain concealed in the archives of the depart- 
ment. It is with the hope that details of some difticulties, 
successes, and failures which have proved of importance in South 
Australia may prove of value as helps or warnings to my pro- 
fessional friends elsewhere that I venture on this short address. 
