Cannon Balls

[Lt Kije]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cannon Balls.

 

 

 

It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships.. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The storage method devised was to stack them as 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 with 16 round indentations, called, for reasons unknown, a Monkey.. But if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make them of brass - hence,Brass Monkeys.

 

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, people thought that was just a vulgar expression? You must send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least a few intellectual friends.

[asperity]

Sounds like a good tale but.............................

 

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/what-is-the-origin-of-the-term-brass-monkey

[algy]

Sounds like a good tale but.............................

 

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/what-is-the-origin-of-the-term-brass-monkey

Lt's version is an old navy tale told to young sailors.

[Lt Kije]

Hence it's in the joke section

[algy]

Hence it's in the joke section

Give over, own up now Lt you thought it was true!

[Dizzy]

I did until you two spoilt it    

[Lt Kije]

Found this

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=freeze%20the%20balls%20off%20a%20brass%20monkey

[asperity]

And of course that proves exactly what?

 

Try this one:

 

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cold%20enough%20to%20freeze%20the%20balls%20off%20a%20brass%20monkey.html

[Lt Kije]

Asp, I think your trying to point score again, did you miss the 

 

Less haste, chill out

[Dizzy]

Either way it's all nothing more than just a load of balls if you ask me

[Evil Sid]

 Reading the bit about the three monkeys see no wrong, speak no wrong and hear no wrong I am sure I have seen sometime in the past a similar statuette with four monkeys. The fourth had his hands placed over his dangly bits and the words do no wrong written below.

 

http://www.natures-energies.com/four_monkeys.htm#.UQjVxmcUlwI

 

But that is enough monkeying about for now

[asperity]

Asp, I think your trying to point score again, did you miss the 

Just taking a cue from the master

[Lt Kije]

Not the first time you've done it, in your headlong pursuit Asp.

[asperity]

Strange boy Lt Kije.

[Cleopatra]

Who? You or Kije?

[asperity]

Alas I am a boy no longer, old age has finally caught up with me (applied for a bus pass yesterday)

[Lt Kije]

Plenty of life in the sea dog yet

[asperity]

I certainly hope so

[Lt Kije]