The first British vessel arrived in Penang in June 1592. This ship, the Edward Bonadventure, was captained by James Lancaster.^[69] However, it was not until the 18th century did the British establish a permanent presence on the island. In the 1770s, Francis Light was instructed by the British East India Company to form trade relations in the Malay Peninsula.^[70] Light subsequently landed in Kedah, which was by then a Siamese vassal state. In 1786, the British East India Company ordered Light to obtain the island from Kedah.^[70] Light negotiated with Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah, regarding the cession of the island to the British East India Company in exchange for British military aid.^[70] After an agreement between Light and the Sultan was ratified, Light and his entourage sailed on to Penang Island, where they arrived on 17 July 1786^[71] and took formal possession of the island on 11 August.^[70] Unbeknownst to Sultan Abdullah, Light had been acting without the authority or the consent of his superiors in India.^[72] When Light reneged on his promise of military protection, the Kedah Sultan launched an attempt to recapture the island in 1791; the British East India Company subsequently defeated the Kedah forces.^[70] The Sultan sued for peace and an annual payment of 6000 Spanish dollars to the Sultan was agreed.^[73]