“The White Water”

Abstract

I HOPE that Capt. Palmer's letter will induce officers of the Indian Marine to investigate any cases of “White Water” that come under their notice. I am sure that the director and staff of the Indian Museum at Calcutta, where the collections of the I.M.S. investigator are deposited, will give them every assistance, and examine any specimens they may obtain. We want to know what are the organisms concerned in the production of the phosphorescence, and the physical conditions of the water in which they were living. The organisms can be strained out of the water by a silken or muslin net—or the hose turned to run through a piece of either cloth—and preserved in spirit or formic aldehyde (1 part in 30 of sea-water). They should be accompanied by exact information as to position, state of weather and moon, and temperature of the water; a sample of the actual water in a green beer-bottle would also be useful.