ATLANTIC CROSSING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 239, 6 September 1928, Page 7

ATLANTIC CROSSING.

FRENCH AIRMEN SET OUT. UNEXPECTED PASSENGER. (Australian Press Association —United Service). PARIS, Sept. 4. Assolant and Lefevre, both sergeants in tho French Army, took off at Toulon at seven o’clock this morning in a machine called* L’Oiseau Jaune (the Yellow Bird) on a flight across the Atlantic. The Ushant wireless station has broadcast a message asking ships at sea to report tho machine's progress, and assist, if necssary. The message states that the following will be the route: Cape Finisterre, Azores, Halifax, New York. As the fliers were about to start a figuro clad in a sweater was seen in the cabin. It was M. Lotti, the son of the proprietor of the Hotel Lotti and the actual financier of the flight. M. Lotti masqueraded under the name of Levy so as to deceive his father, who regards the flight as suicidal and employed private detectives to watch his son’s movements. It transpires that young Lotti entered the ’plane at night time and slept on the floor of the cabin. Detectives watching were relieved at not seeing him attempting to enter, but when the ’plane was rising Lotti appeared and waved his cap to tho astonished detectives. BYRD’S EXPEDITION. ESKIMO DOGS SHIPPED. (Australian Press Association —United Service). QUEBEC, Sept. 4. Eighty husky Eskimo dogs have been sent through Ungava and Northern Quebec, and shipped to the United States Naval Supply base at Hampton Roads. From tho latter place they will go to New Zealand for Commander Richard Evelyn Byrd’s South Pole expedition. , Dr. David Buckingham, Commander Byrd’s veterinarian, has invented a treadmill for use aboard the ship, where the dogs will exercise regularly, develop muscle and dispose of fat.

ITALIAN VICTIM,

LETTER FROM MALMGREN’S

MOTHER. (Australian Press Association —United Service). ROME, Sept. 4. Tho mother of the late Professor Malmgren—one of the Italia victims — has written to General Nobile stating: “Gomandant Zappi and Commandant Mariano evidently did everything possible for my son. I shall always esteem them as men of honour. It was a great solace to listen to Commandant Zappi’s story about my son. He, no doubt, told you I believed every word he said.”