 Draper was commanding officer of the 79th Regiment of Foot, which was then stationed at Madras in British India.Weeks later, King George III signed the instructions which permitted Draper to implement his scheme, emphasising that by taking advantage of the 'existing war with Spain', Britain might be able to assure her post-war mercantile expansion.Manila was one of the most important trading cities in Asia during this period, and the British East India Company wanted to extend its influence over the Archipelago.