▁however , ▁is ▁that ▁W att ' s ▁improvements ▁upon ▁the ▁New com en ▁engine ▁had ▁limited , ▁al beit ▁popular , ▁utility ▁given ▁their ▁size ▁and ▁low ▁power , ▁and ▁were ▁not ▁carried ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁designs ▁of ▁the ▁high - press ure ▁steam ▁engines ▁to ▁which ▁these ▁authors ▁refer ▁regarding ▁the ▁revolution ary ▁impact ▁of ▁the ▁steam ▁engine , ▁something ▁W att ▁opposed . ▁ ▁Hon ours ▁W att ▁was ▁much ▁hon oured ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁time . ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 4 ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Society ▁of ▁Edinburgh , ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Bat av ian ▁Society ▁for ▁Ex perimental ▁Philosoph y , ▁of ▁Rot ter dam ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 9 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁el ite ▁group , ▁the ▁S me aton ian ▁Society ▁of ▁Civil ▁Engine ers . ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 6 ▁he ▁was ▁con ferred ▁the ▁honor ary ▁Doctor ▁of ▁La ws ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Glasgow . ▁ ▁The ▁French ▁Academy ▁elected ▁him ▁a ▁Cor respond ing ▁Member ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁Foreign ▁Associ ate ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁w att ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁James ▁W att ▁for ▁his ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁steam ▁engine , ▁and ▁was ▁adopted ▁by ▁the ▁Second ▁Congress ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Science ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 1