In 1854, Erskine published his father's work on the early Mughal Empire. William Erskine had died in 1852, before he finished the book, so his son Claudius finished the work and published it as "A History of India under the Two First Sovereigns of the House of Taimur, Báber and Humáyun". In 1855, Erskine became director of public instruction. He was the first person in this position in western India. During 1859 he was a judge in the Konkan region. In 1860 he became a member of the new Imperial Legislative Council.