Brass monkey weather!
12-23-2003, 10:22 AM
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Brass monkey weather!
Naval wisdom
It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The best 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 a Monkey. 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 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, you thought that was a vulgar _expression, didn't you? You must send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least ten unsuspecting friends. If you don't, your hard drive is going to fall off and kill your mouse………………………
Have a great time at Christmas
It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The best 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 a Monkey. 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 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, you thought that was a vulgar _expression, didn't you? You must send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least ten unsuspecting friends. If you don't, your hard drive is going to fall off and kill your mouse………………………
Have a great time at Christmas
12-23-2003, 11:34 AM
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RE: Brass monkey weather!
Now I know I'm not the only viewer of the History channel. Wasn't this on Mail Call ? Tried to explain this to the wife person without much success.
12-23-2003, 02:26 PM
#3
RE: Brass monkey weather!
Okay here's another:
The word POSH (meaning upscale, oppulent, etc) comes from the letters written on tickets at the turn of the century. They were used for cabins on ocean liners crossing the Atlantic Ocean from England to the United States. It stands for the words: Port Out, Starboard Home. Which by the way is the sunny side of the ship making those sides the more expensive tickets.
Got any others?
The word POSH (meaning upscale, oppulent, etc) comes from the letters written on tickets at the turn of the century. They were used for cabins on ocean liners crossing the Atlantic Ocean from England to the United States. It stands for the words: Port Out, Starboard Home. Which by the way is the sunny side of the ship making those sides the more expensive tickets.
Got any others?
12-23-2003, 05:56 PM
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RE: Brass monkey weather!
Are you talking about cannon balls on RC sailships cause if your not I feel your history lesson is not long for this world. And that is the history of non related topics on RCU.
12-23-2003, 08:11 PM
#5
RE: Brass monkey weather!
I sincerely wish that I didn't have to close this thread because I love this kind of stuff, but it's not RC related.
PS, "Sincere come from two Latin words: Sine, meaning "Without", and Cera meaning "Wax". Legend has it that Roman Artisans would use wax to fill cracks or holes in furniture, so "Sine Cera" would mean "Without Flaw: Pure, Clean.
PS, "Sincere come from two Latin words: Sine, meaning "Without", and Cera meaning "Wax". Legend has it that Roman Artisans would use wax to fill cracks or holes in furniture, so "Sine Cera" would mean "Without Flaw: Pure, Clean.
