WI: 19th Century Cold War

With a PoD at 1840, have a Cold War last in Europe for at least fifty years with several equivalents to the 20th Century Cold War we had in real life. This would include weapons build up (maybe chemical weapons?), technological achievements (reaching the north and south poles), and trying to spread ideologies counter to each other throughout the world (I'm thinking republicanism and Enlightened Despotism). You don't have to use any of my suggestions.

Who would the sides be? What would the result be? When do you think it'd go hot (if it did)? What major events would change or never happen?
 
Unless you can advance the splitting of the atom by a century, I don't see any path to a "cold war" as we know it in 19th century Europe. Let's face it, the threat of the mushroom cloud did more than anything to keep our OTL "Cold" war cold. Just ask Georgie Patton or Dougie Mac. On the other hand, one could argue that a Cold War did exist in Europe between 1871 and 1914 since France wanted revanche but had to bide their time until the alliance structure was in place and an appropriate causus belli occurred.
 
Perhaps reactionary states versus countries that went anti-reactionary in an alt-Revolutions of 1848? The new states are shaky, but strong and energetic, while the old guard of reactionaries are too weakened to attack them, but too strong for the revolutions to spread to them?
 
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