'BALLS OFF A BRASS MONKEY.......' - The Firearms Forum

rooter · 10-07-2008, 03:30 PM

CANNON BALLS !!! DID YOU KNOW THIS ????

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 uneducated friends.

10-07-2008, 03:30 PM	#1
rooter VMBB Senior Chief Of Staff Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Marty Robbins old hometown, Glendale Arizona--a suburb of Phoenix. Contributor Posts: 9,339	'BALLS OFF A BRASS MONKEY.......' CANNON BALLS !!! DID YOU KNOW THIS ???? 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 uneducated friends. __________________ -->