Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-06-19
#teklg gntelligeufer,
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER.
A MILKY OCEAN.
The French Frigate L'Armide in a
Sea CT Animalcule.
Graphic Description of an Interest.
ing PhenomenOn-Surmises
Thereon.
from the London Times.

ltr0m the London llmeS-
The phenomenon of a milky sea has
been known to appear in certain
parts. but has not been very thor
oughiy scrutinized. Some nave con
sidered the luminous appearance in
question an electrical effect in thun-
derstorms T; others have attributed it
to cadaveric decomposition of marine
animals and plants; others to abun-
dant spawn, with fishes moving about
in it. But the truth appears to be
that it results from All immense ac-
emulation of animalcule capable OF
becoming phosphorescent, %spontan-
eously or by friction. Some interest
ing information on the subject (of ali
exact %character) las been lately pub
lished by Lieut.. Pornain, OF the
French ironclad L'Armide, which in
February last met with a milky sea
in the passage from Point de Gale to
Alden. The nights of Feb. 9, 10. IL
aud 13 were characterized by the phc-
nomenon in all its splendor, the ship
during this time traversing geo miles
C1.10O kilometres) in a mean latitude
Of IL degrees north, between the me-
q ridians OF GIL degrees and 81 degrees
east longitude. There was no Lhun-
derstorm, the sky was clear, the
moon new, tho barometer, therm ON
eter and hygrometer were regular,
aud q gentle northeast monsoon was
blowing. The temperature of the
surface of the water was constant at
Is degrees.
The sea was like a snow-covered
field in a clear night and all trace of
undulation 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 considerable thickness). By
day all disappeared ; but the hue OF
the sea wal somewhat altered. Look
ed 1t attentively over the ships side
at night the water was seen to con-
tain a n enormous number of lumin-
q particles pressed close together.
and more brilliant close to the side
(where distnrbed). Some 400 of these
corpuscles q to 2 centimetres long,
could be counted in q bucket holding
ten litres of the water. Drawn out,
these we're seen to be of gelantinous
substance, which quickly dried aud
disappeared, leaving Il dark giobule
one miiimeter in diameter, which,
~ soS A4S OSSOFCS PlCSShtCu ! aus
parent evoid animalcula. filled with
eggs, and moving its fins and tenta-
clss incessantly. A drop of water
added TO the dark globule brought
back its luminosity; and when the
creature was bruised in the hand il
gave . bright mark, which was quick
ly sxtingulshed and which had no
smell.
The milky water. Kept till day and
looked at in the dark, shows no lu
minssity, even though agitated ; mol
does the water procured by day and
brought into darkness. 1t remains
to be determined what causes the
luminosity of those animalcul9, and
Information Is also desirable as 10 the
position of the various milky seas on
the globe, the times of their appear
ance, whether they persist in th'
same place Or not, etc. Several of
the officers on board the L'Armide
had witnessed the phenomenon be-
fere, but never SO brilliant or so con-
tinuous. The L'Armide in going out
had passed thirty leagues further
north in February, 1873. withou,
encountering anything of the kind.