The ''Brown Smith Jones'' was a patrol boat of the Maryland State Fishery Police which also served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918. It was built in 1894 and took its name from the last names respectively of the governor, the state comptroller, and the state treasurer. The design was that of a

Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...

bugeye, a type of oyster-dredging boat, but with an enlarged cabin replacing the equipment for handling the dredge. She was equipped with a one-pound repeating rifle mounted before the foremast. The U.S. Navy acquired her on 24 August 1917 for

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

service as a patrol vessel and she was commissioned the same day as the USS ''Dorchester'' (SP-1509).. She served in the 5th Naval District for the remainder of World War I, patrolling waters in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. The Navy decommissioned her and returned her to the state on 26 November 1918. In the early 1930s the ship was sold to H. K. Rigg and converted to a

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

References

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Department of the Navy: Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships: USS Dorchester (ID # 1509), 1917-1918
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown Smith Jones Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States Schooners of the United States Navy 1893 ships