(no subject)
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, 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 or 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 cannonballs, 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?
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, 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 or 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 cannonballs, 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?