Scott served as Lieutenant-Governor of
Labuan from 1850 to 1856 and of the
Colony of Natal from 1856 to 1865.
Scottburgh in Natal was named in his honour. He was then Secretary to the
North American Boundary Commission, before in 1868 he was appointed to succeed
Sir Francis Hincks as
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of British Guiana, taking up residence in
Georgetown on 25 January 1869. It was hoped that his previous experience would help with the speedy settlement of a
long-standing boundary dispute with
Venezuela. One of the challenges Scott faced in Guiana was the question of East Indian immigration, which he favoured, and he controversially used his casting vote to secure an Immigration Bill to secure it. He returned to England, where he and his wife settled in
Kensington Park Gardens. In 1882 they were living there with three female servants and a footman. ==Private life==