The Raid on Manila of January 1798 was a Royal Navy false flag military operation during the French Revolutionary Wars intended to scout Scrutiny the strength of the defences of Manila , capital of the Spanish Philippines , capture Conquering a Manila galleon and assess the condition of the Spanish Navy squadron maintained in the port .

over the following decades , the increasing importance of the galleon and the line of battle Hostile_encounter tactic would displace the galley as the major warship of its era , marking Recording the beginning Process_start of the `` age of sail '' .