In China, he was the senior naval officer of the British fleet from 31 March 1841 until his death on board his flagship, HMS Blenheim, in Hong Kong from fever contracted during the capture of Canton.

[3][4] Senhouse joined the Royal Navy in January 1797 on HMS Prince of Wales, which was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Henry Harvey in the West Indies Station.

He made prize of the 6-gun privateer Snap Dragon containing 80 men, assisted in the capture of Moose Island, and was sent home with despatches by Cochrane, announcing the success of the expedition in Castine, Maine.

[5] He was promoted to post-captain on 12 October 1814, and from April to September 1815, commanded HMS Superb on the coast of France as flag-captain to Sir Henry Hotham.

[...] Yes, I am sure I need not tell you so; he must be not only a clever man, but most zealous in his profession; few like him would have employed the leisure the peace has given him in gaining the information he has; there was not a question I asked him that he could not give me a ready and satisfactory reply.

[6] Commodore Gordon Bremer, commander-in-chief of British forces, entrusted the attack on Anunghoy Island to Senhouse in the capture of the Bogue forts on 26 February 1841.

After the Blenheim fired broadsides from starboard at the island's fort, Senhouse landed with about 300 marines and seamen to clear the few remaining defenders.

[9][10] On 31 March, Bremer sailed to Calcutta in the steamer Queen to confer with Lord Auckland about the state of affairs and request reinforcements, leaving Senhouse in command of the naval forces.

[12][13] Duncan MacPherson of the Madras Army wrote, "On the morning of the 13th of June, when it was announced to him [Senhouse] that all hopes of saving his life was at an end, he immediately directed that the signal be made for all captains of H. M.'s ships to repair on board; but ere the first had arrived, our gallant commodore was a corpse.

Major-General Hugh Gough, Captain Herbert, Deputy Superintendent of Trade Alexander Johnston, at least 70 military officers, and nearly all the British and foreign residents were in attendance.