The USS Xarifa was a luxury steam yacht built in 1898 for a wealthy American couple. It was later acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1898 during the Spanish-American War and was commissioned as a gunboat. The ship served in the Caribbean and later in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War. It was decommissioned in 1900 and sold back to its original owners. The USS Xarifa was notable for its luxurious accommodations, including a grand saloon, staterooms, and a dining room. It was armed with four 6-pounder guns and had a crew of around 60 men. The ship's service with the U.S. Navy was relatively short, but it played a role in American naval operations during a crucial period of expansion and conflict.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.