John Elphinstone

John Elphinstone, also known as John Elphinston, (1722 - 1785, aged 63), was a senior British naval officer who worked closely with the Russian Navy after 1770, with approval from the Admiralty, during the period of naval reform under Russian Empress Catherine II. Together with the Scottish-born Samuel Greig, or Samuil Karlovich Greig (Самуил Карлович Грейг), as he was known in Russia, and Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, Elphinstone was a member of the naval staff, headed by Count Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov, which though it lacked naval experience, was able to defeat the Turkish fleet in Chesma Bay, near Chios Island, in the far western coast of Izmir, Turkey on 6 July 1770, at the Battle of Chesma.

Catherine II of Russia drew on the experience of British naval personnel through the networking in London of the British Ambassador in St. Petersburg from 1769 to 1771, Lieutenant-General Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart. He was married to Jane Hamilton, but Jane's death in Saint Petersburg during an outbreak of the plague, prompted his return to Britain.

The vanity of Count Orlov, who having no experience at naval warfare, tried to minimise the importance of the support of the British admirals led him to resign his post, and he returned home at the end of the war against the Turks.

Later, John Elphinstone held several further commands, including the 74-gun HMS Magnificent during Admiral Sir George Rodney's West Indian Campaign of 1779-80. There is no mention of his role in the catching of La Havane in 1762.