Centurion
12-03-2002, 9:05 AM
"Minds are like Parachutes" They only function when open.
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters
carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls. It was
necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to prevent
them from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on
sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right
next to the cannon.
There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from
sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal
plate called a "Monkey," with 16 round indentations. But if this plate was made
of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it.
The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Monkeys" out of brass.
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much
faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped
too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon
balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off
a brass monkey!"
(And all this time, you thought that was an improper expression,
didn't you?)
sorry if you've seen it before! - C :)
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters
carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls. It was
necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to prevent
them from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on
sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right
next to the cannon.
There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from
sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal
plate called a "Monkey," with 16 round indentations. But if this plate was made
of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it.
The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Monkeys" out of brass.
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much
faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped
too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon
balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off
a brass monkey!"
(And all this time, you thought that was an improper expression,
didn't you?)
sorry if you've seen it before! - C :)