[Rhodes22-list] Fw: Cannon Balls

[lcrowther]

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Cannon Balls

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters =
carried=20
iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls.

It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to =
prevent=20
them from rolling about the deck?

The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one ball =
on=20
top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen. Thus, a =
supply=20
of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the=20
cannon.

There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from=20
sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate =
called=20
a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations. But if this plate was made of =
iron,=20
the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting =
problem=20
was to make "Brass Monkeys."

Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster =
than=20
iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, =
the=20
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=20
monkey!" (And all this time, you thought that was an improper =
expression,=20
didn't you?)




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   Cannon Balls
   In the heyday of sailing = ships, all=20 war ships and many freighters
   carried
   iron cannons. Those cannon = fired round=20 iron cannon balls.
   It was necessary to keep a good supply near = the=20 cannon. But how
   to prevent
   them from rolling about the = deck?
   The best=20 storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
   ball on =
   top,=20 resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen. Thus,
   a supply =
   of=20 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to
   the=20
   cannon.
   There was only one problem -- how to prevent the = bottom layer=20
   from
   sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal =
   plate=20 called
   a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations. But if this plate was = made
   of=20 iron,
   the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the =
   rusting=20 problem
   was to make "Brass Monkeys."
   Few landlubbers realize = that=20 brass contracts much more and much
   faster than
   iron when chilled.=20 Consequently, when the temperature dropped too
   far, the
   brass = indentations=20 would shrink so much that the iron cannon
   balls would
   come right off = the=20 monkey.
   Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the = balls=20
   off a brass
   monkey!" (And all this time, you thought that was an = improper=20
   expression,
   didn't you?)

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