Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-07-07
a Milky Ocean.
fLondon Times.1

- HAAAy OCCsA
London Times.1
The phenomenon OF milky sea has
been known TO occur IN certain parts but
has not been very thoroughly scrutinized.
Some have considered the luminous ap.
pearance In question al electrical effect
in thuuder-storms; others have attributed
it to cadaveric decomposition of marine
! animals and plants; others TO abundant
spawn with fishes moving about in it.
But the truth appears 10 b. that it results
from the immense sccum ulation of AMI.
malcu &c capable OF becoming phospores-
cent, spontaneously or by friction. Some
intert sting information on the subject (of
an exsct character) has been lately pub
lished by Lieut.. Porpain, or the French
ironclad L'Armtde, which IN February
! last met with milky sea in the passage
from Point de Gale TO Alden. The nights
Of Feb 8, 10. 10 and 13 were characterized
by The phenomenon in all its splendor, the
ship during this lime traveIslng $50 miles
! Il 100 kilometres) IN a mean latitude of
twelve degrees north, between the merid-
ians of 81 and 81 degrees east longitude.
| There was no thunder storm, the sky was
clear, the moon new, the barometer, Their.
mometer and hygrometer were regular,
and a gentle northeast monsoon was
/ blowing.
! The sea was like a snow-covered field
IN clear night; aud all traces of undula.
tons was lost sight of. The milky look
was hardly disturbed by the motion of
the ship and working of the screw
(Which shows that the layer had consider
able thickness) By day al disspg cared !;
out the hue OF the sea was somewhat al
tered. Looked attentively over the
ships side at night, the water was seen to
contain an enormous number of luminous
particles pressed close together, and more
orllliant close TO the side (where disturb
ed). Some 400 of these corpuscles Zone
or two centimeters long, could be counted
in bucket holding ten litres of water.
Drawn out, these were seen to be of a
gelatlnous substance which quickly dried
and disappeared, leaving dark globule
one mlllimeter in diameter, which, in the
microscope, presented transparent
ovoid snimaloule, filed with eggs and
moving its fins and toutacles necessarily
brought back its luminosity and when
the creature was bruised in the hand it
gave bright mark, which was quickly
: extinguisheo, and which had no smell
The milky water, kept till day and look
| ed at IN The dark, shows no luminosity,
even though agitated; nor does the water
! procured by day and brought into dark
| ness. 1t remains to be determined what
! causes the luminosity of those animalcu.
| lac, and information is also desirable as to
! the position of various milky seas on the
globe, the time of their appearance,
whether they persist in the same place or
| not, ETC.. Several of the officers on board
| L'ATnaide bad witnessed the phenomenon
before, but never so brilliant or so contin-
uous. The A,maide, in going out, had
passed thirty leagues further north In
February, 1878, without encountering any
thing of the kind.
BIsMARCK's BIG DoG-One of the most
important and generally respected men,
bers of Prince Bismarck's household is a
huge hound, popularity designated "the
Realm Dog" This animal, his mighty
masters inseparable companion, is stern
Of aspect and wratLful in disposition He
inspires fear. rather than love, in all men
save one, and has acquired a somewhat
formidable renown for having "collared"
several eminent personages, among whom
Prince Gortschakotf, whose appearance
inspired him with distrust, or in whom
his instincts revealed to him the enter.
tainment of hostile purpose toward his
lord. For his extraordinary intelligence
in this respect he is highly priced by the
Chancellor, who is known to entertain
considerable faith in the accuracy of the
Realm Dogs judgment of human charac-
ter. The other day, two delegates from
Altoona, charged with the presentation OF
petition from that town to his Highness,
were received by Prince Bismarck in
special audience. The Chancellor sat In
comfortable rocking chair. the Realm
Dog stretched on the carpet by his side,
while the delegates, Messrs. Nothnagle
and Semple, took their seats on leath.
ern couch facing his Highness. Mr..
Nothnagle held roll of paper in his
rig~t hand, and, being an energetic
speaker, accustomed to emphasize his
argument by gestlculation, he waived his
scroll about while addressing the Chan
cellor, disregardful of the fact that his
movements elected several disappearing
utterances from the watchful hound.
Presently the dog rose with fierce growl,
whereupon Prince Bismarck, hastily in
terruptng his interlocutor's remsrks, ex-
claimed: do put down that scroll, l
beg you. My dog, like myself, enteItains
profound aversion to every kind of
paper. He believes it to be weapon"