The Texas Historical Commission and The Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University Preserve French Explorer La Salle's Ship, La Belle

Stamford, CT, June 17, 1998

Fuji NDT Systems (FNDT), a division of FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A. Inc., is donating X-ray film and processing equipment to the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University for the preservation of the remains of a 17th century shipwreck considered to be one of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries in North America, announced Doug Hackradt, national sales manager for FNDT.

Working together, the Texas Historical Commission and the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M are excavating and preserving a 300-year-old shipwreck belonging to famous French explorer Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur De La Salle. The La Belle, which was a gift to La Salle from King Louis XIV of France, was discovered in July 1995 in Matagorda Bay in the Gulf of Mexico, uncovering more than a million artifacts encrusted in layers of marine growth or calcium. These artifacts include three bronze cannons cast in 1681 with the crest of King Louis XIV, medieval weapons, pewter plates, brass rings and whistles, beads, ceramics, jars, bowls, and skeletal remains.

Using X-rays, conservators are able to view the contents of the tens of thoU.S.A.nds of calcium-encrusted metal artifacts, enabling them to determine what material is left and replicate what has corroded with epoxy. "Just like operating on a person, you want to know what's inside before you make your incision," said Donny Hamilton, head of the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M. "X-rays are totally indispensable to the restoration process. Without them, we would destroy as many artifacts as we conserve."

According to Hamilton, conservators take two to three X-rays of each artifact so that they can view every angle of each piece. Both industrial and medical films are used in order to provide a variety of film speeds for different imaging situations. With each sheet of film costing $5, the total cost of X-ray film alone would be tens of thousands of dollars.

"Fuji NDT is pleased to offset these costs," said Hackradt. "Our involvement in this important historical project is just one example of the use of Fuji's X-ray technology in industrial applications such as electronics, shipbuilding, automotive, and aerospace. Our commitment to integrity and safety in these industries transfers well to this project, and we have offered our assistance as the Texas Historical Commission begins the excavation and preservation of La Belle's sister ship, La Aimable."

When restoration is complete, the Texas Historical Commission plans to place the artifacts from La Belle on permanent exhibit at a state museum. Individuals interested in obtaining more information about or donating materials to the excavation should contact the conservation lab of Texas A&M's Nautical Archaeology Program by phone at (409) 862-7791 or on the Web at http://nautarch.tamu.edu/napcrl.htm.

FNDT products and systems are utilized by non-destructive imaging customers to produce superior images. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, FNDT's product line includes industrial film, film processing equipment, print networks and Fuji Computed Radiography (CR), a modality Fuji pioneered more than a decade ago. Today, Fuji maintains 90 percent market share in CR worldwide, with nearly 6,000 systems offering Fuji CR's clinically proven technology for acquiring, processing, presenting, and managing superior radiographic images.