Cold Enough?
Magico1@aol.com
Wed, 23 Dec 1998 20:52:40 EST
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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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It's cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey! This expression
dates back to the 17th century when 'ready use' cannon balls were stacked on
metal trays called 'monkeys'. These had dished recesses so that each cannon
ball was kept in position just touching it's neighbor. In calm weather more
balls could be stacked on top to form a pyramid. The monkeys were generally of
iron,
but on some ships brass monkeys were used for ceremonial reasons.Normaly the
arrangement was satisfactory, except in very cold weather when the different
coefficient of expansion meant that the brass trays would contract more
speedily
than the iron causing the pyramid to collapse and the balls to fall off the
monkey.
from the book Salty Dog Talk by Beavis & McCloskey Jerry
Barrilleaux