Ever since the dawn of the ironclad ship era, the Austrian Navy has grown increasingly prominent. The continuous expansion of the Austrian Navy forced other European nations to follow suit.
If it hadn't been for the distraction caused by the Indian Rebellion, the Vienna Government would have already felt what pressure was.
There were even those in the London Government who openly called for adhering to the three-power standard (exceeding the naval tonnage of the second, third, and fourth strongest navies).
Of course, these people were just talking, and in reality, the British had never achieved this.
Now, not to mention the three-power standard, Franz even doubted whether the British could achieve a two-power standard.
The combined tonnage of the France and Austrian navies was close to that of the Royal Navy. Considering the ironclad ships, the Royal Navy's strength could no longer maintain a crushing superiority over France and Austria.
