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? You must
send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least a
few friends for their educational advancement.
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? You must
send this fabulous bit of historical knowledge to at least a
few friends for their educational advancement.
