The political vision of an Anglo-French-Austrian alliance had actually emerged years ago, after the arms race among Britain, France, and Austria.
The Royal Navy had failed to meet the two-power standard during the arms race. Those with foresight in the United Kingdom Government believed that continued confrontation would very likely drive France and Austria into joining hands, which would not serve Britain's interests.
Thus, some proposed an alliance among the three nations, hoping to use a treaty to restrain France and Austria from expanding their armaments while cementing Britain's position as the world hegemon and establishing an international order centered on the United Kingdom.
This plan was clearly too idealistic. Conflicts of interest among the three countries meant that the vision remained no more than a vision, incapable of becoming reality.
Even now, neither France nor Austria recognized Britain as the world hegemon. No one wanted to bow their head, and the peoples of France and Austria were proud to the bone. Even their pride alone could not bear it.
One only had to read the European newspapers to know that the internationally accepted view was a three-legged balance among Britain, France, and Austria. The British held advantages at sea and in the economy, but their army lagged far behind.
Originally, in the age of sea power, the ruler of the oceans was the ruler of the world. Yet the center of the world in this era lay on the European Continent, where France and Austria wielded greater influence.
When the eldest could not suppress the second and third, the position of hegemon became a name without substance. No—this "name" itself had not even won worldwide recognition.
Not long ago, the London Government had suddenly decided to promote a three-nation alliance. Aside from seeking to break up the Franco-Austrian Alliance,