Also known as suitable conditions for the cryogenic castration of
non-ferrous anthropoids.
Regards
Eric Dawson

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dieselberg, Ron [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, January 21, 2002 12:44 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      [TN] FW: Cannon balls
>
> Earl, I thought you might like to include this bit of wisdom in your book.
>
> Ron
>
> Subject: Cannon balls
>
>
> THIS IS YOUR HISTORY LESSON FOR THE DAY
>
> In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried
> cannons.  Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls.  It was necessary to
> keep a good supply near the cannon, but prevent them from rolling about
> the deck.
>
> The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball
> on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a
> supply of thirty 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 called a "Monkey," with sixteen round
> indentations.  If this plate was made of iron, the iron balls would
> quickly rust to it due to the salt water.  The solution to the rusting
> problem was to make, "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
> contract  so much that the cannon balls would roll off the monkey.  Thus
> we have the origin of "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey"
>
> GEEZ, thought you would never ask!
>
>
> Ron Dieselberg
> Trainer/Auditor
> CMC ELECTRONICS
> CINCINNATI
> [log in to unmask]
>
>

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