Agreed. Alby's power was mostly soft-power, in that it had a network of spies who used bribery and blackmail to further the agenda of the Empire. The armed forces were for when soft power failed. The East India company, was, I believe a vast corporate empire that employed a mercenary army and was linked to the crown via the wealthy individuals who were a part of it. From time to time, Britain's armed forces were used to further its business aims.