[1] In 1872 he gained his first command, HMS Decoy, a composite gunboat which was based at the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa Station.

[1] While in command of the Decoy he was involved in the Ashanti war, on 13 June 1873 he led the boat expedition at Eliman and also landed at Bootey where the boat-crews destroyed the native village.

[1] He returned to sea duty in the East Indies on the sloop HMS Dryad and was promoted to captain on 30 June 1882.

[1] He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1897 for his work, during the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria he was knighted when he was promoted to a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire,[6] and also promoted to rear-admiral on the retired list on 10 May,[7] although he had been on the retired list since 1889.

Hext returned to England as continued in his interest in Naval affairs and was one of the commissioners appointed to look at the administration of the Port of London.