coolmd Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 2384 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 69 Topic Count: 49 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1058 Content Per Day: 0.21 Reputation: 757 Achievement Points: 9390 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/10/11 Status: Offline Last Seen: August 9, 2024 Birthday: 01/18/1966 Device: Windows Posted December 22, 2011 CANNON BALLS!!!!!! BET YOU DID NOT KNOW THIS 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 or 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, folks thought that was just a vulgar expression? You must send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least a few of your intellectual Friends. Awards
BigPapaDean Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 1128 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 78 Topic Count: 1210 Topics Per Day: 0.22 Content Count: 6553 Content Per Day: 1.18 Reputation: 4430 Achievement Points: 63653 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 6 Joined: 02/13/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: March 18 Birthday: 10/21/1954 Device: Windows Posted December 22, 2011 so i wasnt vulgar all those times I said that to you Harry! Dammit anyways!!! Awards
DEEJAYKEG Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 1238 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 35 Topic Count: 1207 Topics Per Day: 0.22 Content Count: 6083 Content Per Day: 1.10 Reputation: 4985 Achievement Points: 50728 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 11 Joined: 03/12/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 11, 2024 Posted December 22, 2011 This appears to be an urban legend doing the rounds again. Have a look at the wiki and make your own mind up: " It is often stated that the phrase originated from the use of a brass tray, called a "monkey", to hold cannonballs on warships in the 16th to 18th centuries. Supposedly, in very cold temperatures the "monkey" would contract, causing the balls to fall off.[11] However, nearly all historians and etymologists consider this story to be an urban legend. This story has been discredited by the U.S. Department of the Navy,[12] etymologist Michael Quinion, and the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).[13] They give five main reasons: The OED does not record the term "monkey" or "brass monkey" being used in this way. The purported method of storage of cannonballs ("round shot") is simply false. Shot was not stored on deck continuously on the off-chance that the ship might go into battle. Indeed, decks were kept as clear as possible. Furthermore, such a method of storage would result in shot rolling around on deck and causing a hazard in high seas. Shot was stored on the gun or spar decks, in shot racks—longitudinal wooden planks with holes bored into them, known as shot garlands in the Royal Navy, into which round shot were inserted for ready use by the gun crew. Shot was not left exposed to the elements where it could rust. Such rust could lead to the ball not flying true or jamming in the barrel and exploding the gun. Indeed, gunners would attempt to remove as many imperfections as possible from the surfaces of balls. The physics does not stand up to scrutiny. The contraction of both balls and plate over the range of temperatures involved would not be particularly large. The effect claimed possibly could be reproduced under laboratory conditions with objects engineered to a high precision for this purpose, but it is unlikely it would ever have occurred in real life aboard a warship." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_monkey_%28colloquial_expression%29 Awards
coolmd Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 2384 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 69 Topic Count: 49 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1058 Content Per Day: 0.21 Reputation: 757 Achievement Points: 9390 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/10/11 Status: Offline Last Seen: August 9, 2024 Birthday: 01/18/1966 Device: Windows Author Posted December 22, 2011 That has kinda shit on my POST...lol.... Oh well..another one bites the Dust................... Awards
DEEJAYKEG Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 1238 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 35 Topic Count: 1207 Topics Per Day: 0.22 Content Count: 6083 Content Per Day: 1.10 Reputation: 4985 Achievement Points: 50728 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 11 Joined: 03/12/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 11, 2024 Posted December 22, 2011 coolmd That has kinda shit on my POST...lol.... Oh well..another one bites the Dust................... There is a naval use of the word "monkey". According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, a "monkey" was a vessel containing the full allowance of grog for a mess. Its other meanings are £500 (English) or $500 (US), a mortgage and a military policeman. The book also says that the Dutch use the phrase "sucking the monkey" meaning drinking! Awards
MoeBetta Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 1608 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 7 Topic Count: 49 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 411 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 11 Achievement Points: 2644 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/24/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: March 2 Birthday: 11/12/1968 Device: Windows Posted December 22, 2011 Ive never heard that before, thanxz! We don't use cannon balls in America anymore, we use these little pointy things that use fuel to propel themselves at a target then explodes, crazy huh? Awards
hxtr Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 220 Group: **- Inactive Registered Users Followers: 147 Topic Count: 595 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 16950 Content Per Day: 2.96 Reputation: 13538 Achievement Points: 129714 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 120 Joined: 09/04/09 Status: Offline Last Seen: October 26, 2023 Birthday: 04/05/1970 Posted December 22, 2011 DEEJAYKEG coolmd That has kinda shit on my POST...lol.... Oh well..another one bites the Dust................... There is a naval use of the word "monkey". According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, a "monkey" was a vessel containing the full allowance of grog for a mess. Its other meanings are £500 (English) or $500 (US), a mortgage and a military policeman. The book also says that the Dutch use the phrase "sucking the monkey" meaning drinking! quit monkeying around!
PingLo Posted December 22, 2011 Member ID: 1103 Group: **- Inactive Registered Users Followers: 64 Topic Count: 119 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1977 Content Per Day: 0.35 Reputation: 1122 Achievement Points: 15642 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 4 Joined: 02/08/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: October 16, 2013 Birthday: 01/01/2012 Posted December 22, 2011 MoeBetta Ive never heard that before, thanxz! We don't use cannon balls in America anymore, we use these little pointy things that use fuel to propel themselves at a target then explodes, crazy huh? Oh yeah the Chinese invented those! and the Germans refined them a bit...
little_old_man Posted December 23, 2011 Member ID: 1194 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 40 Topic Count: 436 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 6692 Content Per Day: 1.21 Reputation: 11691 Achievement Points: 53094 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 76 Joined: 02/27/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 16, 2023 Birthday: 04/15/1960 Posted December 23, 2011 A few years ago I took my family to Fort Point which is a civil war era fort under the Golden Gate bridge. They used what appears to be a very large pool rack or triangle to hold the cannon balls in place. Granted the only movement these things ever see are from occasional earthquakes, and as you can see the salt air does create rust on the cannon and the ammo. Awards
PimpedOutPete Posted December 23, 2011 Member ID: 174 Group: +++ COD2 Head Admin Followers: 130 Topic Count: 387 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 15027 Content Per Day: 2.62 Reputation: 8043 Achievement Points: 92206 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 59 Joined: 09/02/09 Status: Offline Last Seen: 15 hours ago Birthday: 04/23/1970 Device: Macintosh Posted December 23, 2011 lol Awards
hxtr Posted December 23, 2011 Member ID: 220 Group: **- Inactive Registered Users Followers: 147 Topic Count: 595 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 16950 Content Per Day: 2.96 Reputation: 13538 Achievement Points: 129714 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 120 Joined: 09/04/09 Status: Offline Last Seen: October 26, 2023 Birthday: 04/05/1970 Posted December 23, 2011 nice post..... thanks for the history lesson. lol i read this time further than i posted brass monkey offensive.............. you mean this? Aint u amazing what culture can do?
2_MANY_BEERS Posted December 23, 2011 Member ID: 96 Group: ** Registered Users Followers: 108 Topic Count: 1049 Topics Per Day: 0.18 Content Count: 8817 Content Per Day: 1.54 Reputation: 3309 Achievement Points: 62219 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 5 Joined: 09/02/09 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 19 Birthday: 06/30/1954 Device: Windows Posted December 23, 2011 DEEJAYKEG coolmd That has kinda shit on my POST...lol.... Oh well..another one bites the Dust................... There is a naval use of the word "monkey". According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, a "monkey" was a vessel containing the full allowance of grog for a mess. Its other meanings are £500 (English) or $500 (US), a mortgage and a military policeman. The book also says that the Dutch use the phrase "sucking the monkey" meaning drinking! I'd say you not only shit on his post you were at least a gentleman and flushed it also. LOL
Damage_inc- Posted December 23, 2011 Member ID: 2048 Group: ***- Inactive Clan Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 294 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 6689 Content Per Day: 1.27 Reputation: 4709 Achievement Points: 48999 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 5 Joined: 12/15/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: November 29, 2023 Birthday: 05/30/1967 Posted December 23, 2011 DEEJAYKEG This appears to be an urban legend doing the rounds again. Have a look at the wiki and make your own mind up: " It is often stated that the phrase originated from the use of a brass tray, called a "monkey", to hold cannonballs on warships in the 16th to 18th centuries. Supposedly, in very cold temperatures the "monkey" would contract, causing the balls to fall off.[11] However, nearly all historians and etymologists consider this story to be an urban legend. This story has been discredited by the U.S. Department of the Navy,[12] etymologist Michael Quinion, and the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).[13] They give five main reasons: The OED does not record the term "monkey" or "brass monkey" being used in this way. The purported method of storage of cannonballs ("round shot") is simply false. Shot was not stored on deck continuously on the off-chance that the ship might go into battle. Indeed, decks were kept as clear as possible. Furthermore, such a method of storage would result in shot rolling around on deck and causing a hazard in high seas. Shot was stored on the gun or spar decks, in shot racks—longitudinal wooden planks with holes bored into them, known as shot garlands in the Royal Navy, into which round shot were inserted for ready use by the gun crew. Shot was not left exposed to the elements where it could rust. Such rust could lead to the ball not flying true or jamming in the barrel and exploding the gun. Indeed, gunners would attempt to remove as many imperfections as possible from the surfaces of balls. The physics does not stand up to scrutiny. The contraction of both balls and plate over the range of temperatures involved would not be particularly large. The effect claimed possibly could be reproduced under laboratory conditions with objects engineered to a high precision for this purpose, but it is unlikely it would ever have occurred in real life aboard a warship." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_monkey_%28colloquial_expression%29 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ive learned even when you try to correct something you have proof for from the internet that it backfires and you always look like the asshole trying to correct people especialy when its one of those bleeding heart stories that circulate in different bogus forms for years on the internet..so I recently now tend to just not comment ..gl with that Awards
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