Weren't the Hydrans actually "contolled" by the Guilds rather
than the Nobility?
I seemto remember reading somewhere that the Guilds won the Civil War
and I think it would be a logocal assumption that the retreat during the General war
to the "old Colonies" would only strengthen the Guilds hold.
Now whether Hydran aristocracy is also derived from guild membership I doubt, but I admit
I have no idea.
That just it. Napoleonic Era Great Britain was the largest and strongest economy in world which is why King George III was able to finance the largest navy in world (ie. the Napoleonic era Royal Navy was UK's largest employer with approx 119,000 head count on the payroll of the service), hire Hessian mercenaries for American Revolutionary Wars, and, over a 25 year period, finance numerous expensive Continental European alliances against the machinations of France. Basically, Great Britain at that time was called "the shopkeeper of the world". Contrast this with France that was bankrupted over the US Revolutionary Wars and was always hurting for cash in the Napoleonic Wars; thereby, forcing France to finance all its wars by looting the conquered nations of central Europe, and consequently leaving Napoleon a very unpopular ruler outside of France.
The mercantile and industrial barons were largely born out of the Guild society which supported well revered aristocracy that ran the gov't. and controlled the Defence forces. At one time, only nobility could be British officers and most of them bought their commissions. The army was used as a dumping ground for noble men that needed something to do, like Wellington, while the Navy was more critical to the realm. Ergo, meritocracy of the non-nobility was tolerated and sponsored by the British gentry for the good of the nation. For example, Nelson was the son of the middle-class, not the ruling gentry.
The SFB sources I've read all show that the Hydran Navy was based on this Napoleonic era Royal Navy template.