Viewing a thread

You are logged in as a guest. ( logon | register )

At random: Beeman Center at Sub Base Pearl Harbor was named for Arthur C Beeman, PhMC aboard the USS AMBERJACK (SS-219) on 4-Feb-43 - He was killed while the sub was engaged in a in gun action with a Japanese ammo ship..

Did you know this? Moderators: Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
Forums-> Submarine Discussion	Message format

Corabelle

Posted 2008-11-11 12:15 PM (#21411)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 2561

Location: Rapid City, SD

Subject: Did you know this?

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 Transport" 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 though 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.

(W-e-l-l, it mentions 'sailors,' 'sea,' 'below decks,' and implies 'boats,' so it's kinda 'navy related.'

Cora

Ralph Luther

Posted 2008-11-11 12:45 PM (#21412 - in reply to #21411)

COMSUBBBS

Posts: 6180

Location: Summerville, SC

Subject: RE: Did you know this?

And so it came to pass, that stacking all of that manure topside caused ships to get top heavy and would capsize during a storm. From thus came the term "full of S.H.I.T."
Sounds reasonable to me! I got the information from an old salt and he should know because he was full of s**t quite often. If I'm ly'n, I'm dy'n.

Far be it for me to point a finger at anyone.

It's a slow day in my office. Can you tell?

Edited by Ralph Luther 2008-11-11 12:47 PM

Tom McNulty

Posted 2008-11-11 1:46 PM (#21418 - in reply to #21411)

Master and Commander

Posts: 1455

Subject: RE: Did you know this?

That's a common thought of origin for the word. However, in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales there's a reference to the "s**tten shepard". The Canterbury Tales were written in the 14th century. So to me it still leaves the question open. By the way I'm a mediocre golfer and the phrase most used is actually "Aw S*&t". That also wipes out 1000 attaboys.

Land Lubber

Posted 2008-11-12 2:34 PM (#21447 - in reply to #21411)

Old Salt

Posts: 402

Subject: RE: Did you know this?

And don't forget the old term being in Deep S.H.I.T......
Now I've heard stories of how bad the smell was inside the old diesel boats but I bet it couldn't compare to one of those manure haulers!
Steve

Jump to page : 1
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]

Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread
Jump to forum :

(Delete all cookies set by this site)
Running MegaBBS ASP Forum Software v2.0 © 2003 PD9 Software