 Smith worked hard to rise money for further missionary work in China, and in 1849 was made bishop of the new diocese of Victoria (Hong Kong) and warden of the newly founded St Paul's Missionary College (see St. Paul's College).With his new wife Lydia, "née" Brandram, Smith arrived in Hong Kong on 29 March 1850 and threw himself into missionary and educational work.He learned Mandarin, becoming sufficiently fluent to conduct services in it.