When Britain Ruled the Philippines

The era when Britain ruled the Philippines was quite some time ago and for a very short period in its long history. Fortunately Shirley Fish has written a great book on the period when Britain ruled the Philippines which is available for a great read and provides essential hitorical information on how The Philippines has developed to where it is now – one of the best growing countries in South East Asia.

This is a quick introduction to the book “When Britain Ruled the Philippines”.  The British invasion of the Philippines was the first challenge to Spain’s control of the archipelago after 191 years of rule. The Royal Navy and British Army joined with the East India Company in Madras to capture Spain’s Asian colony. In conjunction with the attack against Spain’s key possession in the Americas, Havana, both settlements were successfully seized. However, in the Philippines, whilst the expedition was launched as part of a plan to harass the Spaniards in their possessions, as well as for commercial gain and new territories, the military campaign led by General William Draper and Admiral Samuel Cornish, may have been launched under the guise of an invasion in order to gain prize money. The author describes the events concerning when Britain ruled the Philippines as they unfolded at the Admiralty in London and at the East India Company in Madras, leading to the invasion and occupation of the capital Manila and the port city of Cavite. The capital was looted, a galleon was seized, and the British commanders imposed a ransom of four million dollars upon the Spaniards. The enormous sums in prize money and valuables seized mainly benefited the commanders…