Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-06-09
OLD SILVER THIMBLE.
Continued from First Page.)


W. Mrs. Parker gave it to her nephew.
Col Granville Vernon, who sent 1t to me
to be sold for our fund, so you see It IS
well authenticated. ! should like to have
It known in America that we have it to
might be willing to pay quite good
Irice for it"
The latest appeal on behalf Of the
silver thimble fund earnestly asks" for
thimbles, gold braid, cigarette cases.
coins, brooches or any oddments Of silver
or gold to provide motor ambulances for
the front to replace those destroyed or
seriously damaged by shell fire. Mean
while the good that the fund has done
already Is so considerable that a portly
volume might quite easily be compiled
Of the testimonials to it. both from high
and lowly quarters. From the profusion
I will select only two.
The five motor hospital boats provided
by the fund for use in Mesopotamia are
known as the Silver Thimble. I. VI. VII
and TX and the Wimbledon. They range
in length from thirty Eight feet to forty
five. Here is part of an official report
relating to ore of them:
silver Thimble vi arrived in Meso-
potamia during October, 1915. and has
also been in commission practically
all the time, having had only one
overhaul Before the advance on
Bagdad she was located just behind
the front line, and when the advance
on Bagdad took place she followed
up the troops, and was in sight of
the fighting practically the whole
time, evacuaung the wounded down
to the nearest field ambulances or
hospital-her work at this time was
extremely valuable. She was. I think.
the first motor launch to enter
up river when the forces advanced
still further. I can safely say she has
been one Of the most reliable motor
ambulance launched on the Tigris."
The st. Dunstan's Hostel for Blind
ed Soldiers and Sailors, which was
occupieSthe former home of Otto
Kahn, presented by the American mil
lionaire for the purpose, has bene-
flied by the Silver Thimble fund to
the extent of $4,000. Here is a single
an idea Of what this addition to the
funds of the hostel has meant:
"A young seaman at st. Dunstan'a.
only nineteen, and quite blinded, has
been set up with a stock in trade for
a CobbIer. 1t ID de1gntful TO see tne
young fellows pleasure at the diff
cult problem of how to start, being
settled for him, thanks to the Silver
Thimble fund. COMMANDER T, Ad-
miralty War Staff"
Lady Maud Wilbraham tells me that
the Silver Thimble fund has been
copied in France, but she is not able
to say yet with what success. Mean
while the same idea is now being
utilized to raise funds for the Royal
Overseas Club for women from the
British colonies and the United
States whose menfolk are serving.
which inhabits Norfolk House, the
historic town house of the Duke Of
Norfolk. The organizers Of this club
are appealing for discarded silver
bangles Of the kind that were SO fash
ionable in the days of our grand
mothers and for other silver trinkets,
but it remains to be seen how much
old >silver can have escaped the wide
tdragnet Of the Thimble fund.
Z Lady Maud could not say If anybody
in the United States has started col
lecting old thimbles. If not, the right
sort of a campaign should result in
response that will make even the as
tonishing record of the British Silver
Thimble fund look. in the vernacular,
like 80 cents.
Copyright. 1913. by Edward MarshaI.)