Spanish East Indies not materialize.) In a similar vein, to promote innovation and education among the residents of the islands, Governor-General José Basco y Vargas established the Economic Society of the Friends of the Country. For over 256 years, the Spanish East Indies were governed by a governor-captain general, and an audiencia. All economic matters of the Philippines were managed by the Viceroyalty of New Spain, located in Mexico. Because the eastward route was more widely used for military purposes, in addition to commerce that included the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade, most government correspondence went through Mexico, rather than directly to Spain (with the
East Indies Station East Indies Station The Commander-in-Chief, East Indies was a British Royal Navy admiral and the formation subordinate to him from 1865 to 1958. Even in official documents, the term East Indies Station was often used. In 1941 the ships of the China Squadron and East Indies Squadron and were merged to form the Eastern Fleet under the control of the Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet. The China Station then ceased as a separate command. The East Indies Station and its shore establishments continued until disbandment in 1958. The East Indies Station was established as a Royal Navy command in 1744. From 1831–1865,