Late in the afternoon of 13 January 1798 , Sybille and Fox arrived in Manila Bay , slipping unchallenged past the fortress of Corregidor and then sailing across the bay on the morning of 14 January , anchoring between Manila and Cavite . From his vantage point Cooke could see the Spanish squadron dismasted and under repair in Cavite , the ships of the line San Pedro , Europa and Montañés and the frigates Maria de la Cabeya and Luisa in dock and unfit for action . To Cooke 's disappointment he could also see the Manila galleon , Marquesetta being unloaded at the Cavite docks and another valuable merchant ship Rey Carlos aground in the harbour . The Spanish had learned only shortly before Cooke 's arrival that the British frigate HMS Resistance under Captain Edward Pakenham was in Philippine waters and had decided to remove the valuable cargo from the treasure ship rather than risk an attack .