Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Elphinstone Erskine, (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. Early career Born the son of James Erskine and Mary Eliza Erskine (daughter of Lieutenant-General Christopher Fagan), Erskine joined the Royal Navy in 1852. He was appointed to the paddle frigate HMS Valorous on the North America and West Indies Station in January 1858. 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. Erskine transferred to the second-rate HMS Aboukir on the North America and West Indies Station in December 1860. 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. In 1862 Erskine inherited Venlaw, a large Scottish Baronial style house in Peeblesshire. 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. Promoted to captain on 4 November 1868, Erskine went on to be commanding officer of the corvette HMS Eclipse on the North