stration: Figure 11.--TEAKETTLE AND STAND given to Gen. Montgomery
C. Meigs in 1853 by the citizens of Washington for his work on the
Washington Aqueduct. Gift of Gen. M. C. Meigs. In Division of Political
History. (Acc. 25386, cat. 5864; Smithsonian photo 57008.)]

FOR ENGINEERING

By far the most fanciful of all the mid-19th-century pieces is the
silver teakettle and stand (fig. 11) given to General Montgomery C.
Meigs by the citizens of Washington for his work on the Washington
Aqueduct. The kettle, 18 inches high, is mounted on a base that is 8-1/2
inches square and 3-1/4 inches high. The base is made in the shape of
the stone arches of the aqueduct, and the head of George Washington, in
profile, is depicted on the center front. There is a depression in the
top of the base for holding a small alcohol lamp. Four rocks, one on
each corner of the base, provide support for the kettle. The kettle's
feet, in the form of fish, rest on the rocks and are fastened to them
with hinges held by a chain and silver pin. The pins can be released so
that the kettle can be tilted for pouring without moving it from the
base. By withdrawing all four pins, the kettle can be completely
detached from the base. The body of the kettle is decorated with
nautical designs--waves, fish, shells, etc.--and cattails and lily pads.
Under the spout is an anchor entwined with a fish over the initial "M."
A belt ornamented with stars encloses the castellated towers of the Army
Engineers symbol with the letters "U," "S," and "E" on one side of the
kettle. On the other side is the inscription:

Presented to Captain Montgomery C. Meigs U.S. Engineers by the
Corporation of Washington with a Resolution of Thanks approved
12th March 1853 for his Report on the Washington Aqueduct.

The handle of the kettle is in the form of a serpent's tail, and the
spout is the serpent's open mouth. The lid is a nautilus shell on which
stands an eagle with raised wings. On one side of the base is
inscribed:

Presented 9th June 1854 by John W. Maury--Mayor, Joseph
Borrows of B^d Ald., A. W. Miller of B^d Com. C. Committee of the
Corporation.

The piece is marked "M. W. Galt & Bro.," a firm established in
Washington in 1802 that has been in continuous business since that
time.

Montgomery Cunningham Meigs graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in
1836 and was soon assigned to the Engineer Corps. Thereafter, for a
quarter of a century his outstanding tal