The main period of Bourbon reforms in Chile lasts from the coronation of Charles III (1759-88) in Spain to the end of Governor Ambrosio O'Higgins y Ballenary's tenure in Chile (1788-96).

The Bourbon rulers give the audiencia of Chile (Santiago) greater independence from the Viceroyalty of Peru.

One of the most successful governors of the Bourbon era is the Irish-born O'Higgins, whose son Bernardo will lead the Chilean independence movement.

Ambrosio O'Higgins promotes greater self-sufficiency of both economic production and public administration, and he enlarges and strengthens the military.

In 1791 he also outlaws encomiendas and forced labor.

Alessandro Malaspina makes a commercial circumnavigation of the world on behalf of the Royal Philippines Company from September 1786 to May 1788

During this voyage he is in command of the frigate Astrea.

His route goes via the Cape of Good Hope and, returning, Cape Horn.

Astrea calls at Concepción in Chile in February 1787, whose military governor, the Irish-born Ambrose Higgins, had six months before recommended that Spain organize an expedition to the Pacific similar to those led by Lapérouse and Cook.

Higgins had made this recommendation following the visit of the Lapérouse expedition to Concepción in March 1786, and presumably discusses it with Malaspina while the Astrea is at Concepción.

Following the Astrea's return to Spain, Malaspina produces, in partnership with José de Bustamante, a proposal for an expedition along the lines set out in Higgins' memorandum.

A short time later, on October 14, 1788, Malaspina is informed of the government's acceptance of his plan.

José de Espinoza y Tello, one of the officers of the Malaspina expedition, subsequently confirms the importance of the information sent by Higgins in stimulating the Government to initiate an extensive program of exploration in the Pacific.

The prompt acceptance of Malaspina's proposal is also stimulated by news from St. Petersburg of preparations for a Russian expedition (the Mulovsky expedition) to the North Pacific under the command of Grigori I. Mulovsky that had as one of its objectives the claiming of territory on the North West Coast of America around Nootka Sound that is also claimed by Spain.

A staggering amount of scientific expeditions have crossed the Spanish Empire in the last four decades of the eighteenth century, such as the botanical expeditions to New Granada, Mexico, Peru and Chile, that collected a very complete sample of the American flora.

The Spanish government see the New World as a vast laboratory for experimentation and an unending source of samples.

The reigning Spanish king, Charles III, has already procured funds to further develop science and technology in several areas.

He promptly approves the expedition, although he can never see its results, as he will die exactly two months later.

Additionally, the Spanish government has a vested interest on all issues concerning the Pacific Ocean because a large number of her colonies are in that area, including most of the American Pacific coast, the Philippines in Asia, and several islands, such as Guam.

The Vancouver expedition's officers enjoy an official visit to the Capitan General and Royal Governor of Chile, Don Ambrosio O'Higgins de Vallenar, at the capital, Saint Iago.