832.796/773: Telegram

The Ambassador in Brazil ( Caffery ) to the Secretary of State

348. Department’s 236, January 2982 and my 342, February 4.83 Salgado says he will requisition the planes at once and will appoint a commission to evaluate. He will turn the planes over to us as soon as we agree on price and will give us legal title thereto.

He says there are seven planes scattered at Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco and Natal. He will furnish us with specifications, et cetera, as soon as the commission gets underway.

Salgado has just returned from São Paulo and gave me this information over the telephone. He insisted on getting a commitment that we would buy if he requisitioned (at a reasonable price of course).

Caffery
  1. Not printed; this telegram conveyed the interest of the United States military authorities in obtaining a number of planes of the Italian Transcontinental Air Lines, whose operations had been curtailed (832.796/759).
  2. Not printed; it reported that the Fiat-Argentina firm was also interested in obtaining the equipment of the Italian company, but the Bank of Brazil rejected the offer (832.796/769).