▁The ▁sus pected ▁attack ▁did ▁however ▁never ▁happen . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 7 8 8 ▁susp icion ▁of ▁British ▁attack ▁rose ▁appeared ▁once ▁again , ▁this ▁time ▁stem ming ▁from ▁observations ▁of ▁ships ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Co qu im bo . ▁A ▁defense ▁plan ▁where ▁milit ias ▁played ▁a ▁major ▁role ▁was ▁hast ily ▁made ▁up . ▁ ▁Spanish ▁initi atives ▁ ▁Pre vent ing ▁entry ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁and ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁Spain ▁considered ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁a ▁Mare ▁cla us um ▁– ▁a ▁sea ▁closed ▁to ▁other ▁naval ▁powers . ▁As ▁the ▁only ▁known ▁entrance ▁from ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Mag ellan ▁was ▁at ▁times ▁pat rolled ▁by ▁fle ets ▁sent ▁to ▁prevent ▁entrance ▁of ▁non - Span ish ▁ships . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁western ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁the ▁Dutch ▁threatened ▁the ▁ ▁Spanish ▁Philippines . ▁To ▁end ▁navigation ▁by ▁rival ▁powers ▁in ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Mag ellan ▁Spanish ▁vic ero y ▁Francisco ▁de ▁To led o ▁ordered ▁Pedro ▁S arm iento ▁de ▁Gam boa ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁stra it ▁and ▁found ▁settlement s ▁on ▁its ▁sh ores . ▁ ▁Building ▁fort ifications ▁ ▁In ▁Col onial ▁times ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Empire ▁di vert ed ▁significant ▁resources ▁to ▁fort ify ▁the ▁Chile an ▁coast ▁as ▁consequence ▁of ▁Dutch ▁and ▁English ▁ra ids . ▁This ▁was ▁particularly ▁true ▁for ▁the ▁expensive ▁Val div ian ▁Fort ▁System ▁built ▁after ▁what ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁last ▁Dutch ▁inc urs ion