Colonel Jones was for 14 years the directing head of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS) and in that capacity used his talent and energy to promote scientific work and investigation.

Early in his Washington experience, he achieved recognition through his leadership in the settling of the Alaska boundary dispute between the United States and Canada.

He served as a delegate to the International Geographic Survey of 1928, at Cambridge, England, where he delivered an address that was translated into many languages and printed in periodicals all over the world.

Colonel Jones was an enthusiastic member of the Society of American Military Engineers, and rendered valuable services both to the Washington post and to the national organization.

Following the completion of his studies at Princeton University, Mr. Jones was engaged in research, secretarial work, and business for a number of years.

[2] It was a part of his philosophy of human affairs that the best work can be done only when men have the best tools and appliances for doing it and so it was among his basic endeavors while Director of the Coast and Geodetic Survey that the Bureau's engineers be supplied with adequate ships and modern instruments and equipment.

These things he achieved in a large measure, the good effects of which are reflected in a larger and better volume of work and a finer spirit of performance by the entire personnel, so that the Bureau now meets the purposes of its being with a growing satisfaction and increased efficiency.

His death was attributed to the effects of his war service as a colonel in the division of military aeronautics in France and Italy (where he was decorated by King Victor Emanuel).

Colonel Jones was a member of a large number of organizations and societies, which included scientific, engineering, social, patriotic, and outdoor recreations purposes, showing thereby a wide range of active human interest of usefulness.

In addition, he also was the author of the following (unofficial) papers: "Evolution of the National Chart," Science and the Earthquake Perils," and "Aerial Surveying."

In 1919, he was granted the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Princeton University with the following citation: "Ernest Lester Jones, Director, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, the oldest scientific agency of our Government, writer on our coastal waterways bordering the Pacific Ocean, a resourceful administrator, increasing largely our supply of reliable maps and supervising the use of new devices for making our waters safer, notably by detecting the perilous submerged pinnacle rocks; a Colonel in the Army during the war, on active service in France and Italy, decorated by the King of Italy, awarded the Diploma of Merit by the Aerial League of America, recommended for the French Croix de Guerre; most recently instrumental in helping to form the American Legion to perpetuate American Liberty."