a tun/ton is a variable unit of measurement/estimation in maritime terms which changed over time and varied according to country etc
the subject has been discussed on various other lists eg MARHIST-L and it is a bit off subject for this list
if anyone wants anymore info please contact me off list
J
Peter King <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I think this gets to the bottom of the issue of the timber ton. I am sure
this was a measure of volume not of weight. In shipping, a ton was either a
barrel of a certain size or the space that it occupied.
Peter King
49, Stourbridge Road,
Hagley,
Stourbridge
West Midlands
DY9 0QS
01562-720368
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-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
TONY BREWIS
Sent: 21 August 2008 23:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: mining-nautical terminology
J J Greenwood mentions that in the measurement of New Forest cordwood, " 60
cu ft of timber weighs about
one and half tons depending on the species and moisture content", i.e.
about 40 cu ft per ton.
This reminds me that when my wife and I sailed to India in 1957 for me to
take up my job with Indian Copper Corporation
(pace Peter, got to get mining history mentioned in this somehow!), our
ticket for the three-week voyage (I was to be
junior staff, and only seniors went by plane) we were allowed "one ton" of
luggage to be stored in the ship's hold,
the definition of this being that "one ton" meant 40 cubic feet! I guess
this is about right for the density of sea water.
Sorrry to quibble, but I think Roger has got his sums wrong when he says a
cubic yard in 9 cubis feet. I think
he means 3 x 3 x3 = 27 cubic feet.
Tony Brewis
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