Rio de Janeiro, Jan. 6.
'The' Brazilian naval wireless station here got into communication with the Italian trans-Atlantic seaplanes, when they were 250 miles, E.N.E, of Natal, Braz "Those 12 seaplanes under General Balbo, are flying from Bolama, Portuguese Guinea, to Brazil, 1,100 miles. They took off at 2 am. [Greenwich meantime to-day.
General Valle, the Air Chief of 'Staff, and specially selected pilots. Each' machine carries a pilot, second pilot, a mechanic, ahd a radi signaller, Eight cruisers were distributed over the sea route, and the total cost of the enterprise is given jas over £30,000, The object+of the fight is not to create records, but to make a practical test of formation flying over at Natal to-day at 7 p.m. Greenwich time but minus one seaplane, which was forced down near St. "Paul's Rocks, 350. miles north-east of Fernando Noronha, She was taken in tow by an Italian cruiser.
Later the seaplane being towed sank, but her crew were rescued.
'The trans-Atlantic formation' flight of twelve seaplanes and two reserve planes, under the command fof the 3-year-old Air Minister, [General Balbo, set off from Orbetello 7.35 am. on December 17.
The total course from Orbetello, some miles north of Rome, to Rio Janeiro © Brazil is 6,417 miles, and the longest stretch was the ocean route of 1,800 miles from Bolama, in prolonged distances, and to adver-Portuguese West Africa to rabi, ti merits of aircraft and motors on the shoulder of Brazil. constructed in Italy.
The machines are the bombing General Balbo, before types Savoy 55 A.R,, with Fiat mo warned the Italian public against ors, and their cruising speed is to expecting a 100 per cent., success, the 100 miles an hour. As well as the it Minister, the crews include the flying "ace Colonel Maddalena,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.