"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.
You probably did not know the true history of this word. Neither
did I.
I had always thought it was a golf term."
(attribution unknown)
(Thanks Lamar)
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