This is the year 1914 When British, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottomans, Spain, and Russia still had empires with them.

Both the British and France empires were the biggest at that time, crossing ocean to ocean and crossing continent to continent.  

At that time, both Russia and France were allies of each other and France asked Great Britain if they had their back. Great Britain told France that they kinda had their back but in reality, they just wanted no conflict and no war again. 

Everyone was eying out each other and allying with different countries to protect and aid them in any conflict or war.

The British sent a few navies just to protect and patrol its coastal cities and water from any sneak attack.