The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-16
NEW FIELD FOR x.RAYa
Franes's sehsms % Use Them In the Cas-
toms Services.

tomn ssrvies.
New York Sun; Several months ago
the French government began a series
Of experiments with the x-rays with
the object Of, learning whether or not
these could be employed to advantage
in the customs servlce-parttcuiariy tn
the examination of small parcels COM
ing into France through the packet
most These experiments have proved
50 satisfactory that more are 10 pc
tried soon on more extensive seale N
Inc regular working OF the service, and.
should they be found practical all
travellers baggage and imports OF gem
eral merchandise coming into France
will be examined IN this way,
The apparatus used In the experi-
ments. according 10 the statement or
George Pallain, director general OF
customs.was the ordinary Crookes tube,
with tiuorescent screens 70 receive the
images projected NJ. Pallaln Is not a
scientific man, and his explanation OF
the experiments leaves much to be de-
sired, but at the present stage OF the
work no declines 10 be more explicit
He describes the apparatus used, In
general way, TO be machine something
IN the form OF large opera glass, the
eIrcular ends OF which were fitted with
tho huoreseent screens. The object 20 pe
examined was placed between the
Crookes tube and the large opera GLASS.
'grhe result" says NJ, Pallaln, was
astonishing. The first thing ] looked at
was an ordinary box OF cigars, wrapped
in heavy paper. / was able TO see them
distinctly, and to count them, first on
the top fayer, and then on the ends.
Afterward we placed plush arm chair
In position, and / was able TO see the IN
terlor, springs and ALL last, we took
a small box that had come by packet
post; II was tlghtly sealed, and the X
rays disclosed the fact that II contained
pair OF sleeve buttons, which we're
perfectly distinct,
1.-THE practlcabillty OF this mode OF
examination Is what makes the expert
meats so valuable. The apparatus used
Is simple In construction. easily manlp-
Mated, and quick In results. The opera
tlon requires but few minutes, and y
may be conducted In any room when
may be made aeml-dark. In the room
which we have used for experimenting,
we did nothing In the way OF prepaFa-
ton but draw the curtains.
ut Is undoubtedly true that SNUG
glers and other evll-dlsposel persons
would be able to circumvent the GER
talnty OF detection of contraband Rrti-
cles In trunks and packages by such an
examination; but that does not disturb
US, because, should we adopt the N-ray
method, It will be merely used as an
aid, and In no sense regarded as deter
mlnative and lnfallible. At present. for
Instance. our inspectors are obliged to
open everything. This takes q great
deal of time, and makes trouble for Of
ticlals and travellers alike; and, even at
the best, such an inspection must be
very often superficial Now, that Is Just
where the new method comes In. Every
article OF baggage will Arst be subject
ed to the &-rays; then, II the rays dis
close nothing, the article will be passed
without opening. II, on the other hand.
the rays disclose dutiable articles, or
evidences which are suspiclous-and ]
believe that any agency which Snug
giers would use to render the trunk
lmpervlous TO the rays would OF itself
necessarily look suspicious when out
lined on the fuorescent screens-that
trunk or packages will be opened just
as 1t Is now. So you see. after all, the
device Is mainly labor saver. At the
same time 1t Will make the inspection
much more thorough, because even the
expert fingers OF q customs inspector do
not always land on the contrabana ar
tlcle, and as for his eyes, the X-rays
are so far the only spectacles with
which one may look through wood and
pasteboard."
NJ. Pallain's apparatus Ia now being
placed in the customs rooms OF several
OF the larger railway stations, and, pro-
vldIns that further experiments prove
its practicabillty. 1t will be adopted gen.
orally by the customs service.