British coal support hinted at a three-power alignment

The use of British colliers carried meaning beyond commercial convenience. The Anglo-Japanese treaty was still relatively recent, and some British ministers liked the idea of Britain, Japan, and the United States forming a three-power alignment. Britain and Japan were viewed as island maritime powers, while the United States combined continental scale with rising sea power and a shared language with Britain. Those perceived affinities made British assistance to the Great White Fleet look like more than an isolated coal contract. Logistics could advertise a possible diplomatic combination without proving that a formal tripartite alliance existed.