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 Post subject: Loose Cannon
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:20 pm 
Spider Lady
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Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:23 pm
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Location: Staffordshire
A loose cannon was one which had broken loose from its fastenings particularly on wooden ships of war. This made them very dangerous when fired.

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 Post subject: Re: Loose Cannon
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:18 pm 
Mongrel
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Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:22 pm
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sorry Mel, but I don't think there would be any question of firing a loose cannon - the recoil would propel it backwards at great speed. The danger was that as the ship rolled or pitched, a loose cannon - which might weigh several tons - would charge around the deck on the wheels of its carriage and mow down anyone or anything in its way. Such incidents occur several times during battles in the marvellous series of naval historical novels by Patrick O'Brian - well worth reading if one can ever find time away from the ancestors! You may have seen Master and Commander, but it doesn't do anything like justice to the books.
Charon


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 Post subject: Re: Loose Cannon
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:23 pm 
Spider Lady
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It was an idiom on the back of Lyndons cigarette papers....caught my eye.

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 Post subject: Re: Loose Cannon
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:25 pm 
Mongrel
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just another of the dangers of smoking, then

Charon


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 Post subject: Re: Loose Cannon
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:15 pm 
Spider Lady
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Yep...well I suppose this is classed as passive smoking :shock:

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