He was an avid explorer and collector of natural and ethnological specimens who contributed much to the knowledge of flora and fauna of the Malaya Peninsula.

[1][3][4][5] A keen photographer and member of the Royal Photographic Society, he created a large collection of ethnological photographs of aborigines of the Malay Peninsula, particularly the Semang, and contributed scientific papers to various journals including the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and the Journal of the Anthropological Institute.

He published "Alluvial Tin Mining" and prepared the design for the first roasting furnace to be built in the Federated Malay States.

Its use spread rapidly in the tin mining industry, and large quantities of ore which were previously unusable became of value.

In 1898, he was instrumental in getting the export duty on tin ore raised which increased revenues of the government by several millions.