# Cannon Balls !!!!



## BlinkyTheHouse Elf (Apr 2, 2007)

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 best 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/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, you thought that was just a vulgar expression, didn't you?
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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Hahahahahaha.....You learn something new every day


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## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

LOL, Good to know!! Thanks.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

who wouldn't want to know this? :googly:


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## BlinkyTheHouse Elf (Apr 2, 2007)

I just thought it was interesting>>lol Brass Monkey LOL


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## hexerei (Aug 31, 2008)

Thank You . I am filing that one under "keepers".


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## halfcracked (Oct 13, 2006)

Good Pun 
bad science 

Corrosion INCREASES when dissimilar metals are in contact.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

Good one Blinks

they all have to come from somewhere.


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## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

wow. learn something new every day. thanks blinky


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Interesting story, but I have been out in some very cold weather and I believe I will stay with the vulgar interputation .


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## ubzest (Jul 1, 2008)

Thanks, I love trivia!


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Now THAT is a cool factoid. I love learning the origins of expressions. The whole 9 yards, a pig in a poke, letting the cat out of the bag, etc... it's so cool finding out what they originally meant.


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## BlinkyTheHouse Elf (Apr 2, 2007)

Thanks Guys Glad you like it

Half cracked I dont think they were worried about shooting rusty cannon balls at the enemy.


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