Forbsie
New member
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 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 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?)
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>
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 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 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?)
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>
