Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Elphinstone Erskine, KCB DL JP (2 December 1838 – 25 July 1911) was a 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.
Promoted to rear admiral on 18 January 1886, Erskine became Junior Naval Lord under the third Gladstone ministry in February 1886 but left office six months later when the Government fell. He became Senior Officer, Coast of Ireland Station, with his flag in the battleship HMS Triumph, in 1888. Promoted to vice admiral on 14 February 1892, he significantly extended Venlaw that year adding an extra storey and a large south wing and turret.
Erskine became Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station, with his flag in the cruiser HMS Crescent, in May 1895. Appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 22 June 1897 and promoted to full admiral on 23 August 1897, he joined a commission established to deal with fishing claims on the French Islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in August 1898.
Erskine was appointed First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King on 20 April 1901, promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 3 October 1902 and installed as Deputy Lieutenant of Peeblesshire on 25 February 1907. He retired in December 1908 and died at his home, Venlaw in Peeblesshire, on 25 July 1911, aged 72.