At the age of seventeen he joined the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company at their head office in London.

He arrived in Hong Kong in 1880 and acted as agent for the company in Shanghai for seven-year, in Yokohama for two years, and in Kobe for six months.

During the Boxer Rebellion he was active in preparations for the defence of the Settlement when the naval fleet sailed to Peking leaving about 12,000 white population and nearly half a million Chinese under his charge.

[4] A special committee consisting of the English, German, American, French and Dutch ministers was formed as a result and adopted Hewett's proposals as the chamber's representative which were embodied in the protocol.

[6] He received the English Medal for China, 4th Class Sacred Treasure of Japan, Iron Crown of Austria and decorated as a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau of the Netherlands for his services in Shanghai.