tosher Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Is this true ?????? Manure : In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before the invention of commercial fertilizers, so large shipments of manure were quite common. It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, not only did it become heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas of course. 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 instruction ' Stow 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 ' , (Stow High In Transit) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day. You probably did not know the true history of this word. Neither did I. I had always thought it was a golf term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Fraid not: Snopes Clicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teadaemon Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Snopes.com would suggest that it's false. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet S Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Fun while it lasted though!!! Is Snopes the definitive authority? Janet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Fraid not: Snopes Clicky Ah, just the man. Another one for CANOE* I think Richard *Campaign to assign a naval explanation, um, er, what's the acronym** again? **acroynms are apparently a 20th century invention Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Ah, just the man. Another one for CANOE* I think Richard *Campaign to assign a naval explanation, um, er, what's the acronym** again? **acroynms are apparently a 20th century invention Campaign to Assign a Nautical Origin for Everything. Actually the acronym is named after the small winch that reduces the size of the "acro" sail. The top sail in a gaff rigged yacht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzyduck Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 So in effect this threat is just bull Ship High In Transit then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Ambrose Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 So in effect this threat is just bull Ship High In Transit then? Totally unrelated but I was once told the average life of a cowpat is 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzyduck Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 I'd have thought a cowpat would have been dead on arrival, given what it's already been though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper ghost Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Totally unrelated but I was once told the average life of a cowpat is 3 weeks. And after only a week they are hard enough to use as a frisby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayalld Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Fun while it lasted though!!! Is Snopes the definitive authority? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Is Snopes the definitive authority? Yes. Ah, good! Does Snopes express an opinion on interpretation of the BW continuous cruising guidelines ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Ah, good! Does Snopes express an opinion on interpretation of the BW continuous cruising guidelines ? If they are a hoax, then yes they would. Richard Have you checked yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldthehouse Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 And after only a week they are hard enough to use as a frisby When dried they make excellent cheap fuel on the fire ... better than anthracite... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 When dried they make excellent cheap fuel on the fire ... better than anthracite... They are now being marketed as anthrashite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldthehouse Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 They are now being marketed as anthrashite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pluto Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Another interesting fact is that manure was a major canal traffic - nightsoil and street sweepings from the days before sewers and of horse transport. Around 1890, some 150,000 tons were carried out of Liverpool annually, and used to fertilise the agricultural lands around Burscough. The traffic continued until after the Second World War as Bootle still had a good number of houses which were not connected to mains drainage, with the ships importing cattle from America adding to the cargoes. In the days of sail, the cattle boats would be cleaned, the holds lined, and emigrants carried on the return voyage. No wonder many became sick! There's a more complete description of the delights of the traffic in Liverpool and Its Canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Another interesting fact is that manure was a major canal traffic - For one canal it was such a prominent cargo that it was included in the navigation's name....The Tamar Manure Navigation Canal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerching Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 For one canal it was such a prominent cargo that it was included in the navigation's name....The Tamar Manure Navigation Canal ....and the Manchester Shit Canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magpie patrick Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 For one canal it was such a prominent cargo that it was included in the navigation's name....The Tamar Manure Navigation Yes, I think it and the Somersetshire Coal Canal were the only ones to identify their intended cargo in their names The Halifax Branch of the Calder and Hebble used to have a "gaux" boat I believe, carrying untreated sewerage. ....and the Manchester Shit Canal. Not so much shit as Chemicals, it caught fire in the 1960's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Yes, I think it and the Somersetshire Coal Canal were the only ones to identify their intended cargo in their names So the Aylesbury Arm's main cargo wasn't body parts, then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magpie patrick Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 So the Aylesbury Arm's main cargo wasn't body parts, then? No more than the Rufford Branch carried tree parts, in fact, probably rather less The Aylesbury Arm does have ducks though... It's something that just happened to cross my mind when I became Chairman. SCC is named after a county (which it is no longer in, but I daren't tell the members that) and a cargo. I can think of other county canals, the Monmouthshire, the Glamorganshire, at a push the Shropshire Union (not it's original name) but after the cargo... not usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper ghost Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 When dried they make excellent cheap fuel on the fire ... better than anthracite... But buying a field and a herd of cattle is not very cheap... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldthehouse Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 But buying a field and a herd of cattle is not very cheap... An old Anglo Saxon law states that trespass with intent to collect fuel inthe form of fallen timber and cow dung for personal use is entirely within the law so long as the collector is a member of CWDF and does it after dark and doesnt get caught.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper ghost Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 An old Anglo Saxon law states that trespass with intent to collect fuel inthe form of fallen timber and cow dung for personal use is entirely within the law so long as the collector is a member of CWDF and does it after dark and doesnt get caught.... I could do with some of that fuel here, it's cold in this boat, could have something to do with the fact that I have removed 12 feet of lining and insulation and fitted a new side door with no frame yet, ccccc-cold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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