Spanish Filipino territories, together with the Spanish West Indies, were administered through the Viceroyalty of New Spain based in Mexico City. The Captaincy General of the Philippines (; ) was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire. The Captaincy General encompassed the Spanish East Indies which included the modern country of the Philippines and various Pacific Island possessions, such as the Caroline Islands and Guam. It was founded in 1565 with the first permanent Spanish settlements. For centuries all the political and economic aspects of the Captaincy were administered in Mexico by the Viceroyalty of New Spain, while the administrative issues had
East Indies theatre of the French Revolutionary Wars Indies was not attempted until the spring of 1796. The renewed blockade of Île de France was lifted in December 1795, and Elphinstone deployed most of his forces in the continued blockade of Colombo. In February a small squadron under Captain Alan Gardner attacked city and secured the total surrender of the remaining Batavian garrison on the island. In March word arrived at Madras of the Batavian attempt to recapture the Cape Colony and Elphinstone returned westwards with "Monarch", followed by "Stately", "Echo" and "Rattlesnake". In the east, Rainier's force had some success, seizing the considerable clove stores at Amboyna