History Lesson
 

History Lesson

In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common.
It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen, Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!
Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.
After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term 'Ship High In Transit' on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off of the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.
Thus evolved the term 'S.H.I.T' (Ship High In Transport) which has come down through the centuries and is in wide, daily use to this very day – having been translated into at least 2 500 languages.

Retlaw.

Re: History Lesson
 

retlaw!! you reminded me i wanted to ask you something....

at the church near you, on the wall that brings you out near your house there are some numbers on the side facing the church.... any idea what they are for? its been puzzling us lol

Re: History Lesson
 

Hi Emamum.
Not many people have noticed them. They were used to mark out the divisions for the burial plots when it was first used as a graveyard back in 1841.

I got Atarah to hold one end of the tape measure, and we went all the way round. I then made a scale drawing of the site with the church, to scale in the middle. Then with the aid of the registers and burial book, lent to me by the Vicar, I put in all the plots and who was buried in them.

By the way, not all of the stones are now in the correct place, over the years when repairs and alteration have been done, they have'nt always been put back in the right order.

Retlaw

Re: History Lesson
 

heard that before but i got told store high in transit. same thing though :)
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: History Lesson
 

i knew you would know :D thanks

Re: History Lesson
 

so did one of these boats hit a fan one day creating the term s.h.i.t hitting the fan ?

Re: History Lesson
 

No.....thats when Gordon Brown assumed the position of Prime Minister.
Sorry for the thread wander but....there for the taking. :D