friend forwarded this to me
don't know the source

Subject: Ship High in Transit

Historical information you need to know about shipping Manu In the 16th
and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship. 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," which has come down through the
centuries and is in use to this very day.

Probably untrue. I suggest it's related to Saxon for diarrhea (c1000
AD). Being in the **** (****e) may refer to doing pennanance dressed
only in a sheet.

Cheers

gonefishiing wrote:

friend forwarded this to me
don't know the source

Subject: Ship High in Transit

Historical information you need to know about shipping Manu In the 16th
and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship. 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," which has come down through the
centuries and is in use to this very day.