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tonioseven · #1 04-19-2005, 04:20 PM

Shipping Manure

In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by
ship. It was also before the invention of commercial fertilizer, 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 it came in
contact with water (at sea), it not only became heavier, but the
fermentation process began again, of which a byproduct is methane
gas.

Because 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 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.