Spanish East Indies chief consort, and his subjects. Seeking to develop trade between the East Indies and the Americas across the Pacific Ocean, Antonio de Mendoza encouraged the exploration of these Asian territories and commissioned the expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos to the Philippines in 1542–1543. Miguel López de Legazpi set out from Mexico, and established the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines in 1565, which became the town of San Miguel in present-day Cebu. That same year, another member of the expedition, Andrés de Urdaneta discovered a maritime route from the Philippines to Mexico, across the Pacific, leading to the important
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,