In 1855 he was appointed captain of the Sebastian (426 tons) on the India route, calling in at Adelaide and Mauritius on the return voyage.
His next appointment was as captain of the Orient Line clipper Coonatto trading between England and Adelaide from 1863 to 1866, when he was put in charge of The Murray, on which he served until 1872, making very good voyages, and impressing his passengers with his urbanity and sailor-like qualities, an asset to the reputation and no doubt profitability of the Orient Line.
He settled in Adelaide and was made manager of the Tug Company, then was appointed ship's surveyor for Lloyd's of London.
[2] Begg was awarded a silver medal by the Italian government for his part in rescuing sailors from a burning vessel.
Begg and the crew of The Murray went to her aid and did what they could to rescue survivors, but 120 perished either in the inferno, the barque's cargo being largely spirits, or in the sea after her overloaded boat capsized.