Career
Smith joined the British Army in 1790 as an ensign, later promoted to lieutenant. He was private secretary to the ambassador, Robert Liston, and was chargé d"affaires after Liston left Constantinople in November 1795. He was formally appointed Secretary of Legation in 1798 and continued to serve as chargé d"affaires ad interim.
Smith left Constantinople in 1801 and arrived in England just in time to be invited to stand for Parliament for the borough of Dover in the United Kingdom general election of 1802.
This mission was interpreted by the French as espionage and used to justify the kidnap of Sir George Rumbold at Hamburg. Smith withdrew from Dover at the general election of 1806 and soon afterwards settled in Normandy where he wrote on a variety of scholarly subjects.
He died at Caen on 5 June 1845.