Re: [yabid] a Man from U.N.C.L.E. book ques re: batteries...

Napolean tells, umm, the tech guy... this wouldn't
work 'cuz the border agent would try turning it on.
>
He replied that yes, the light would work, because
he had placed a small mercury cell (remember those?)
in the tip of the battery, and that would provide
enough power to set off the light.
>
Sound at all familiar?  Thanks

This is in The Rainbow Affair by David McDaniel.

"This is designed for the smuggling of small valuable items past any
customs system in the world. It looks like a torch cell, and is
carried in a torch."
"An old gag," said Illya. "If the flashlight doesn't work, they check
the batteries."
"So old no one would be likely to try it. Except that this one works.
Built into one end is a 1-1/2 volt mercury cell. The body of the case
is lead-shielded to protect film from fogging. Film, by the way, is
always sent exposed but unprocessed. Unless the container is opened in
a darkroom, the information is destroyed."