VERY INTERESTING. BUT IS IT TRUE????????
"TALL SHIP TRANSPORT".
Forgive me if this is off topic but I couldn't resist.
"This was sent to me from another sailing friend.
"Manure transport"
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 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 use to this
very day.
Sounds plausible but is it true. Not likely but if it is I can well imagine
the poor guy with the lantern would have had a different definition for the
term.
If nothing else, Our daily chuckle.
High Seas
--
Larry C. Lyons
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Life is Complex. It has both real and imaginary parts.
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Chaos, Panic and Disorder. My work here is done.
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