The courts of England and Spain had declared war in the month of November, 1761, but nothing of this was known at Manila, although there were reasons for our being in some degree on our guard. A priest, who held a correspondence with the English on the coast, received information of an expedition which was preparing there, and Father Quadrado, an Augustine, received a letter from his father by way of China, which informed him of the commencement of hostilities with the English; but as it was private intelligence, and not confirmed, those who had gone on their different pursuits to Canton and Batavia paid no attention to it. On the 14th of September, 1762, an English vessel appeared in the bay, which would not admit our officers on board, and having made soundings all over the bay, sailed again by the point of Mariveles. The Mahhicas Indians informed us they had seen a large ship of two tiers of guns, and manned with white men, the captain of which had put many questions to them respecting the ships which traded to New Spain. In Manila it was generally believed this ship was not in search of the Philippine Islands, but was on its passage home to Europe, and as it was near the commencement of the winter season, that she was making all despatch to save the monsoon. It afterwards appeared, however, that an English fleet had sailed from Madras the beginning of August for the express purpose of taking Manila, and which was to rendezvous at the island of Luban in case of separation, and which actually did take place in consequence of a gale of wind, which obliged one English frigate to put into Canton, and delayed the arrival of two others eight days after the rest of the squadron appeared in our bay.