one story said the monkey was a sort of frame you put the cannon balls into, 
something to hold them in place while you stacked them, pyramid-style (kind 
of like the thing you put your snooker/pool/billiard balls into, to set them 
up [rack?]), and that if it was really cold, the brass would contract enough 
to send the cannon balls (which would not contract quite so quickly) 
flying...
whether that's true or not, i don't know, but i'm sure bob will find a 
better version on google somewhere
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron May" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 7:05 AM
Subject: Re: first/third brass


> Ok, I have a question that begins with the nautical phrase "its cold 
> enough
> to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" (calm down everyone, we are 
> talking
> cannon balls). Were cannon balls really brass or were they bronze...and 
> what
> the  heck was the monkey made of?