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Money for old rope
| Морской словарь |
Old worn-out line had many shipboard uses and this phrase—meaning to get something for nothing—has nautical origins. after being picked apart, the yarn made oakum for plugging the seams of a wooden vessel; or could be used like cotton wool to make earplugs when exercising the guns; or be stashed near the heads for use as toilet paper. beyond these, old rope was useless to sailors, but some of them discovered that the surplus could be sold for cash to manufacturers of rag-paper.
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Money under the mast, английский
Until the late nineteenth century, it was common practice for shipbuilders to place a coin under the heel of the mainmast before it was stepped for the first time. this was a symbolic payment to the spirits of the deep to buy their protection. the practice is believed to parallel the ancient greek custom of placing a coin in the mouth or hand of a corpse for payment of the fee charged by charon the ferryman for carrying the deceased across the river styx to elysium.
Momsen lung, английский
A submarine breathing apparatus which serves as a gas mask if toxic fumes arise while submerged. it also allows its wearer to breathe normally while escaping from a sunken boat and, once on the surface, serves as a life preserver. it was developed in the 1930s by lieutenant (later vice admiral) charles b. momsen, usn, in conjunction with chief gunner’s mate clarence l. tibbals and frank m. hobson, a civilian employee of the bureau of ships. the guided missile destroyer uss momsen (ddg- 92) is named in momsen’s honor. the device was clumsy to use, and the royal navy adopted an apparatus- free escape technique in which the sailor would exhale during ascent in order to keep expanding air from rupturing the lungs.
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