James Erskine (Royal Navy officer)

British admiral (1838–1911)

Admiral of the Fleet

Sir James Erskine

Sir James Erskine

Born| (1838-12-02)2 December 1838
Rajkot, Bombay Presidency
Died| 25 July 1911(1911-07-25) (aged 72)
Venlaw, Peeblesshire
Allegiance|  United Kingdom
Service / branch|  Royal Navy
Years of service| 1852–1908
Rank| Admiral of the Fleet
Commands| HMS Speedwell
HMS Columbine
HMS Eclipse
HMS Boadicea
HMS Garnet
Australia Station
Coast of Ireland Station
North America and West Indies Station
Awards| Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Elphinstone Erskine, KCB DL JP (2 December 1838 – 25 July 1911) was a Scottish Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he served on the North America and West Indies Station. This was a difficult time in relations between the United Kingdom and the United States following the Trent Affair, an international diplomatic incident that occurred during the American Civil War when the United States Navy frigate USS San Jacinto intercepted the British mail packet RMS Trent.

Erskine went on to be Private Secretary to Lord Northbrook, First Lord of the Admiralty and then became Commodore on the Australia Station and in that capacity announced that, in order to provide support for the local people, the south coast of New Guinea would become a British protectorate. He went on to be Junior Naval Lord under the third Gladstone ministry and then Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station.

## Early career

[edit]

Venlaw, Erskine's home in Peeblesshire

Erskine was born in Rajkot, Bombay Presidency, the second son of James Erskine of Cardross and Mary Eliza Erskine (daughter of Lt.-Gen. Christopher Fagan). His elder brother, by 11 months, was Sir David Erskine, Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons from 1885–1915.[1]

Erskine joined the Royal Navy in 1852.[2] He was appointed to the paddle frigate HMS Valorous on the North America and West Indies Station in January 1858.[2] Promoted to lieutenant on 28 June 1858, he became flag lieutenant to his uncle, Rear Admiral John Elphinstone Erskine, Second-in-Command of the Channel Squadron, in the second-rate HMS Edgar, in July 1859.[2]

Erskine transferred to the second-rate HMS Aboukir on the North America and West Indies Station in December 1860.[2] This was a difficult time in relations between the United Kingdom and the United States following the Trent Affair, an international diplomatic incident that occurred during the American Civil War when the United States Navy frigate USS San Jacinto intercepted the British mail packet RMS Trent and removed, as contraband of war, two Confederate diplomats who were bound for the United Kingdom and France to press the Confederacy's case for diplomatic recognition and financial support for the Confederacy.[2] In 1862 Erskine inherited Venlaw, a large Scottish Baronial style house in Peeblesshire.[3]

Promoted to commander on 4 August 1862, he became commanding officer of the gunboat HMS Speedwell on the West Coast of Africa Station in February 1865 and then commanding officer of the sloop HMS Columbine on the Pacific Station in January 1868.[2]

Promoted to captain on 4 November 1868,[4] Erskine went on to be commanding officer of the corvette HMS Eclipse on the North America and West Indies Station in November 1873, commanding officer of the corvette HMS Boadicea at Portsmouth in April 1878 and then commanding officer of the corvette HMS Garnet on the South East Coast of America Station in October 1878.[2]

The cruiser HMS Crescent, Erskine's flagship as Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station

Erskine was appointed Private Secretary to Lord Northbrook, First Lord of the Admiralty, in May 1880[2] and became Commodore on the Australia Station, with his broad pennant in the armoured cruiser HMS Nelson in January 1882.[5] It was in this capacity that he announced that in order to provide support for the local people, the south coast of New Guinea would become a British protectorate and, in late 1884, he embarked on an expedition aboard the Nelson to undertake proclamation and flag raising ceremonies, stopping at Port Moresby, Delena, Motu-Motu, Kerepunu, Argyle Bay, Stacey Island, Dinner Island and Teste Island.[6] The expedition was joined by Charles Emanuel Lyne, a correspondent from The Sydney Morning Herald,[7] and at least one photographer,[8] to document and report on the events. Lyne's detailed reports were later published as a full account of the expedition.[9]

## Senior command

[edit]

Promoted to rear admiral on 18 January 1886,[10] Erskine became Junior Naval Lord under the third Gladstone ministry in February 1886 but left office six months later when the Government fell.[2] He became Senior Officer, Coast of Ireland Station, with his flag in the battleship HMS Triumph, in 1888.[2] Promoted to vice admiral on 14 February 1892,[11] he significantly extended Venlaw that year adding an extra storey and a large south wing and turret.[3]

Erskine became Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station, with his flag in the cruiser HMS Crescent, in May 1895.[2] Appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 22 June 1897[12] and promoted to full admiral on 23 August 1897,[13] he joined a commission established to deal with fishing claims on the French Islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in August 1898.[14]

Erskine was appointed First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King on 20 April 1901,[15] promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 3 October 1902[16] and installed as Deputy Lieutenant of Peeblesshire on 25 February 1907.[17] He retired in December 1908[18] and died at his home, Venlaw in Peeblesshire, on 25 July 1911, aged 72.[19]

## Family

[edit]

In 1885, Erskine married Margaret Eliza Constable, daughter of Reverend John Constable. They had one son, Commander David Victor Fairfax Erskine of the Royal Navy, and one daughter, Izmé Veronica Doreen Erskine. Their daughter served in the Women's Royal Naval Service in the First World War, founded the first Girl Guide group in Scotland, and worked for charitable causes, including housing former prisoners.[1][20]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Obituary: Admiral of the Fleet Sir James E. Erskine". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 26 July 1911. p. 11.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Heathcote, p. 72
3. ^ a b "Private couple new owners of historic Peebles hotel". Southern Reporter. 24 November 2011. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
4. ^ "No. 23438". The London Gazette. 6 November 1868. p. 5751.
5. ^ "Erskine, James Elphinstone (1838–1911)". Admiral Sir James Elphinstone Erskine. Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
6. ^ "Photographs of New Guinea (Y3084A)". Cambridge Digital Library. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
7. ^ McMinn, W. G. "Lyne, Charles Emanuel (1850–1910)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
8. ^ "Photographs of New Guinea (Y3084A)". Cambridge Digital Library. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
9. ^ Lyne, Charles E (1885). New Guinea. An account of the establishment of the British protectorate over the southern shores of New Guinea. S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington. OCLC 9151033.
10. ^ "No. 25551". The London Gazette. 22 January 1886. p. 329.
11. ^ "No. 26263". The London Gazette. 1 March 1892. p. 1201.
12. ^ "No. 26867". The London Gazette. 25 June 1897. p. 3568.
13. ^ "No. 26885". The London Gazette. 24 August 1897. p. 4726.
14. ^ "No. 27001". The London Gazette. 2 September 1898. p. 5259.
15. ^ "No. 27307". The London Gazette. 23 April 1901. p. 2777.
16. ^ "No. 27483". The London Gazette. 17 October 1902. p. 6569.
17. ^ "No. 28001". The London Gazette. 5 March 1907. p. 1579.
18. ^ "No. 28201". The London Gazette. 1 December 1908. p. 9182.
19. ^ Heathcote, p. 73
20. ^ "Miss Erskine". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 23 November 1935. p. 16.

## Sources

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* Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.

## External links

[edit]

* The Dreadnought Project: James Erskine
* William Loney Career History

Military offices

Preceded by

John Wilson

|  Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station
1882–1884  | Succeeded by

George Tryon

Preceded by

William Codrington

|  Junior Naval Lord
1886  | Succeeded by

Lord Charles Beresford

Preceded by

Walter Carpenter

|  Senior Officer, Coast of Ireland Station
1888–1892  | Succeeded by

Henry St John

Preceded by

Sir John Hopkins

|  Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station
1895–1897  | Succeeded by

Sir John Fisher

Honorary titles
Preceded by

Sir Michael Culme-Seymour

|  First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp
1901–1902  | Succeeded by

Sir Edward Seymour

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

People|

* Trove
* Australia

Other|

* SNAC