Bet you didn't know this!

[GWguy]

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried
iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary
to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, 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 or rolling from under the others. The solution
was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations.

However, if this plate were 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 cannonballs would come right
off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the
balls off a brass monkey."

(All this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you?)

 

[limblips]

Bet you thought you knew something! Shame on you, trying to perpetuate a myth!



Cartoons of pirate ships always come complete with the usual icons - parrots, peg legs and pyramids of cannon-balls. That's artistic license rather than historical fact. The Royal Navy records that, on their ships at least, cannon-balls were stored in planks with circular holes cut into them - not stacked in pyramids. These planks were known as 'shot garlands', not monkeys, and they date back to at least 1769, when they were first referred to in print.

On dry land, the obvious way to store cannon-balls seems to be by stacking them. On board ship it's a different matter. A little geometry shows that a pyramid of balls will topple over if the base is tilted by more than 30 degrees. This tilting, not to mention any sudden jolting, would have been commonplace on sailing ships. It just isn't plausible that cannon-balls were stacked this way.

For those wanting a bit more detail, here's the science bit. The coefficient of expansion of brass is 0.000019; that of iron is 0.000012. If the base of the stack were one metre long, the drop in temperature needed to make the 'monkey' shrink relative to the balls by just one millimetre, would be around 100 degrees Celsius. Such a small shrinkage wouldn't have had the slightest effect. In any case, in weather like that, the sailors would probably have better things to think about than coining new phrases.

 

[GWguy]

I guess the concept of a JOKE completely eludes you. That's why this is in the JOKE forum.

 

[kom526]

I guess the concept of a JOKE completely eludes you. That's why this is in the JOKE forum.

Foxbat 14 cleared for take off on runaway 4 Bravo
Roger, Tower

 

[belvak]

I guess the concept of a JOKE completely eludes you. That's why this is in the JOKE forum.

I got it, and chuckled!!!

 

[limblips]

DOH! Forgot where I was on the forum. I have heard this story told as truth (I have even seen it in Navy articles) so many times through my career that I wrongfully assumed it was another myth being carried on. Next time I will check my navigation instruments to make sure I know where I am. Then again, at my age, not knowing where I am is becoming increasingly more common.

 

[Bay_Kat]

DOH! Forgot where I was on the forum. I have heard this story told as truth (I have even seen it in Navy articles) so many times through my career that I wrongfully assumed it was another myth being carried on. Next time I will check my navigation instruments to make sure I know where I am. Then again, at my age, not knowing where I am is becoming increasingly more common.

 

[TurboK9]

Bet you thought you knew something! Shame on you, trying to perpetuate a myth!



Cartoons of pirate ships always come complete with the usual icons - parrots, peg legs and pyramids of cannon-balls. That's artistic license rather than historical fact. The Royal Navy records that, on their ships at least, cannon-balls were stored in planks with circular holes cut into them - not stacked in pyramids. These planks were known as 'shot garlands', not monkeys, and they date back to at least 1769, when they were first referred to in print.

On dry land, the obvious way to store cannon-balls seems to be by stacking them. On board ship it's a different matter. A little geometry shows that a pyramid of balls will topple over if the base is tilted by more than 30 degrees. This tilting, not to mention any sudden jolting, would have been commonplace on sailing ships. It just isn't plausible that cannon-balls were stacked this way.

For those wanting a bit more detail, here's the science bit. The coefficient of expansion of brass is 0.000019; that of iron is 0.000012. If the base of the stack were one metre long, the drop in temperature needed to make the 'monkey' shrink relative to the balls by just one millimetre, would be around 100 degrees Celsius. Such a small shrinkage wouldn't have had the slightest effect. In any case, in weather like that, the sailors would probably have better things to think about than coining new phrases.

So what you are saying is that cannon were called 'witches tits', cannonballs were 'nipples' and the planks were 'brass bra's'? Thus cold enough to snap a nipple off a witches tit in a brass bra?

Really? Cool. I love history!




THIS steering wheel? Aye, it's drivin' me nuts.

 

[hvp05]

Really? Cool. I love history!


THIS steering wheel? Aye, it's drivin' me nuts.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried
iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary
to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, 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 or rolling from under the others. The solution
was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations.

However, if this plate were 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 cannonballs would come right
off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the
balls off a brass monkey."

In my head.....I'm reading this with Cliff Clavin's voice......"It's a little-known fact....."

 

[preselector]

In my head.....I'm reading this with Cliff Clavin's voice......"It's a little-known fact....."

You're dating yourself Dee.

Cheers!

 

[garyt27]

jeopardy

In my head.....I'm reading this with Cliff Clavin's voice......"It's a little-known fact....."

Now that Aerosmith song is in my head:

"I lost in jeopardy,"

 

[n0n1m0us3]

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried
iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary
to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, 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 or rolling from under the others. The solution
was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations.

However, if this plate were 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 cannonballs would come right
off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the
balls off a brass monkey."

(All this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you?)

Bet you thought you knew something! Shame on you, trying to perpetuate a myth!



Cartoons of pirate ships always come complete with the usual icons - parrots, peg legs and pyramids of cannon-balls. That's artistic license rather than historical fact. The Royal Navy records that, on their ships at least, cannon-balls were stored in planks with circular holes cut into them - not stacked in pyramids. These planks were known as 'shot garlands', not monkeys, and they date back to at least 1769, when they were first referred to in print.

On dry land, the obvious way to store cannon-balls seems to be by stacking them. On board ship it's a different matter. A little geometry shows that a pyramid of balls will topple over if the base is tilted by more than 30 degrees. This tilting, not to mention any sudden jolting, would have been commonplace on sailing ships. It just isn't plausible that cannon-balls were stacked this way.

For those wanting a bit more detail, here's the science bit. The coefficient of expansion of brass is 0.000019; that of iron is 0.000012. If the base of the stack were one metre long, the drop in temperature needed to make the 'monkey' shrink relative to the balls by just one millimetre, would be around 100 degrees Celsius. Such a small shrinkage wouldn't have had the slightest effect. In any case, in weather like that, the sailors would probably have better things to think about than coining new phrases.

This reminds me of a game we play called Origins where you have to explain the origins of certain phrases. If you don't know you're supposed to make up something convincing so other people will vote for your explanation as the correct one. It's hilarious, especially playing with the kids...family game night