The King's Instructions were, if we succeeded in the Conquest of Manila, to deliver up the Fortifications, with the Cannon, Stores and Ammunition, to the East India Company, until his Majesty's Pleasure should be signified with Regard to the future Dispositions of the said Conquests, &c. Upon the Peace, when the Place was delivered up to the Spaniards, the East India Company applied to the Secretary of State for Leave to carry the Artillery and Stores to Madrass, but received for Answer, That they must remain for the Defence of the Place; but were afterward told, That if the Spaniards would give Security for the Payment of the Value of them, they were to be left; if they would not, the East India Company might remove them to Madrass. This last Answer did not arrive in India till after Orders had been sent to deliver it up, and the Season too late to send that Year. [193] [Here follow the "Conditions" and "Proposals," q.v., ante, pp. 75-80.] [At the end of the copy of this book from which we publish is written by hand: "with Admiral Cornish's Compliments."] COLONEL DRAPER'S ANSWER TO THE SPANISH ARGUMENTS To the Earl of Halifax, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State For the Southern Department. [194] My Lord, Armed with that Boldness which Innocence inspires, and the Consciousness of having done my Duty, both as an Officer, and a Man of Honour and Humanity; I presume again to lay before your Lordship my Answer to the Spanish Ambassador's Memorial. This Reply is something more copious than the former, which I had the Honour of presenting to your Lordship in March last: The new Arguments that have been urged to evade Payment, requiring fresh Reasons to endeavour to enforce it. I was in great Hopes, that the good Faith, Honour, and Punctuality of the Spanish Nation, would have made this Publication unnecessary. But finding, that they have absolutely refused Payment of the Ransom Bills, drawn upon their Treasury by the Governor of Manila, and do now claim the Restitution of the Galeon, I am constrained, for the Sake of those brave Men, to whom I am obliged and indebted for my Success, to assert their Rights, in the best Manner I am able. Many of them, my Lord, from the too usual and sanguine Hopes of their Profession, have already anticipated their supposed Profits, and may live to repent their fatal Success in a Jail; unless the powerful Intercession of the Government will rescue them from impending Misery or Destruction. They vainly look up to me for that Protection, which in their Names, I again request from your Lordship's good Offices.