WI: Britannia still ruled the waves?

[Laqueesha]

Plausible POD before 1900? Discuss.

Post-1900 thread here: http://www.alternatehistory.com/disc...d.php?t=153570

[stevep]

Originally Posted by Laqueesha

Plausible POD before 1900? Discuss.

Post-1900 thread here: http://www.alternatehistory.com/disc...d.php?t=153570

Laqueesha

Prior to 1900 you really need something to prevent/greatly reduce the US as anything like the OTL state will be a major rival to the UK once its develops. Also you need to increase the power base of Britain beyond the home islands. So a federation with say an enlarged Canada, the southern dominions and maintaining a few other key spots.

The only other alternatives are for some reasons Britain maintains a clear technological lead, which is unlikely, or that no state larger than say France or Germany in size and population rises to industrial prominence anywhere. Even then, if restrict to only OTL Britain you would need a lot of shuffling and alliance building to counter potential opponents.

Steve

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Originally Posted by stevep

Laqueesha

Prior to 1900 you really need something to prevent/greatly reduce the US as anything like the OTL state will be a major rival to the UK once its develops. Also you need to increase the power base of Britain beyond the home islands. So a federation with say an enlarged Canada, the southern dominions and maintaining a few other key spots.

<shameless self promotion>In my TL, Britain's alliance with New England and Portugal has expanded into the 'Neo-Delian League' of allied maritime powers. While it is not exactly British, it is certainly British influenced/not quite controlled. And it remains to be seen just where it is going. BUT. Pretty soon any country with significant maritime aspirations is going to have to be a part of the League, and it will probably remain the absolute ruler of the 7 seas up to the modern day. One option is that it ends up becoming a (loose federal) global empire, that will be seen by most outsiders as a British+ Empire... And even within the League, the British Empire will be the largest naval power by far.</shameless self promotion>.

[stevep]

Originally Posted by Dathi THorfinnsson

<shameless self promotion>In my TL, Britain's alliance with New England and Portugal has expanded into the 'Neo-Delian League' of allied maritime powers. While it is not exactly British, it is certainly British influenced/not quite controlled. And it remains to be seen just where it is going. BUT. Pretty soon any country with significant maritime aspirations is going to have to be a part of the League, and it will probably remain the absolute ruler of the 7 seas up to the modern day. One option is that it ends up becoming a (loose federal) global empire, that will be seen by most outsiders as a British+ Empire... And even within the League, the British Empire will be the largest naval power by far.</shameless self promotion>.

Dathi

I don't know about the league becoming a monopoly for any state with maritime aspirations. More likely I would have thought that some counter block builds up, at least unless the League members play it cautiously to avoid being too dominant.

However that is a good example of the sort of thing I was thinking of, although the degree to which Canada is growing by ~1900 it could be less of a British than a Canadian empire. Mind you, you are terming it a Canada wank Most examples I've thought of Canada isn't as overwhelming as I think its likely to be in TTL.

Steve

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Originally Posted by stevep

Dathi

I don't know about the league becoming a monopoly for any state with maritime aspirations. More likely I would have thought that some counter block builds up, at least unless the League members play it cautiously to avoid being too dominant.

However that is a good example of the sort of thing I was thinking of, although the degree to which Canada is growing by ~1900 it could be less of a British than a Canadian empire. Mind you, you are terming it a Canada wank Most examples I've thought of Canada isn't as overwhelming as I think its likely to be in TTL.

Steve

I responded to this in the YACW thread, so as not to derail this thread.

[phx1138]

Is it conceivable if you avoid WW1 & WW2? Or at least WW2? A different Versailles, which essentially crushes Germany, rather than one which leaves her intact & vengevul as OTL, might do it. A different pre-WW1 approach might have both avoided the war & even led to an Anglo-German alliance (which, BTW, would go a long way to helping avoid the Pacific War, too).