The next morning the General took an advanced post about 200 yards from the glacis; and there, under cover of a blind, intended his battery against the face of the south-west bastion. The number of troops being small, I landed a battalion of seamen, consisting of about 700 men, under the command of the Captn Collins, Pitchford, and George Ourry. The 25th, I dispatched three armed boats after a galley coming up the bay to Manila. They came up with her, resolutely boarded her, and took her, notwithstanding she kept up a smart fire with patteraroes and muskets. She mounted two carriages and seventeen brass swivel guns, and had eighty men. By letters, found in her, we discovered she was dispatched from the galleon St. Philippina [i.e., "Filipino"] from Acapulco, and whom she had left the 10th of September at Cajayagan, [15] between the Embocadero and Cape Spiritu Santa. Upon this discovery I came to a resolution to send the Panther and Argo [16] in quest of her; but it was the 4th of October before the weather permitted their sailing. The 28th of September the General acquainted me that he was beginning to work on the battery; and that if some ships could get near enough to throw shot on the works of the town opposed to it, it might take off some of the enemy's fire and attention, and thereby facilitate its construction. In consequence of this, I ordered Com. Tiddeman, with the Elisabeth and Falmouth, towards the town, as near as the depth of water would permit, and to place the ships in such a position as would best answer the purpose intended; which was accordingly done the next day, and their fire had a very good effect.