Big Slim Junior
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2003
- Messages
- 339
Got this from a friend who is a history nut. I cannot vouch for it's accuracy, only it's relative entertainment value. 
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 "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 an improper expression,
didn't you?)
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 "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 an improper expression,
didn't you?)
