balls and brass monkeys

tezzer · 17-06-2009, 23:20

It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old warships.
But how to prevent them from rolling about on the deck was a problem.
The storage method devised was to stack them as a square pyramid, with 1 ball on top, resting on 4, resting on 9, which rested on 16.
Thus, a supply 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 was 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 Monkey.
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 out of the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.
And all this time, you folks thought that it was just a vulgar expression, didn't you?
Put this in your useless information file.

dsgrnmcm · 18-06-2009, 07:42

Monkey - Small wooden kid or cash for carrying grog

Monkey block - Small single wooden block fixed with a swivel

Monkey jacket - a serge jacket worn by naal watch keepers, worn daily by modern Petty officers and officers

Monkey pump - A seamans name for a straw used in a cask of wine or spirits.

lacroupade · 18-06-2009, 14:58

Monkey spanking?

PS Did you know that Bernard Manning was in the army and once had a job guarding Rudolf Hess in Spandau?

17-06-2009, 23:20	#1
tezzer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: basildon essex Vehicle: transit camper van 1987 Posts: 2,829	balls and brass monkeys It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old warships. But how to prevent them from rolling about on the deck was a problem. The storage method devised was to stack them as a square pyramid, with 1 ball on top, resting on 4, resting on 9, which rested on 16. Thus, a supply 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 was 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 Monkey. 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 out of the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, you folks thought that it was just a vulgar expression, didn't you? Put this in your useless information file.

18-06-2009, 07:42	#2
dsgrnmcm Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Devon, Bideford Vehicle: T2 97 2.7tdi SWB Posts: 313	just to follow on the naval monkey theame... Monkey - Small wooden kid or cash for carrying grog Monkey block - Small single wooden block fixed with a swivel Monkey jacket - a serge jacket worn by naal watch keepers, worn daily by modern Petty officers and officers Monkey pump - A seamans name for a straw used in a cask of wine or spirits.

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18-06-2009, 14:58	#3
lacroupade Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: All hail to the Glove of Love... Posts: 9,212	Monkey spanking? PS Did you know that Bernard Manning was in the army and once had a job guarding Rudolf Hess in Spandau?