Even though the relationship was a little tenuous and awkward for a bit, it looks like the US began to respect them when they let the US have their space for the Civil War, and then relaxed when Britain developed Canada into a country in 1867, and then readily accepted Britain’s support in the Spanish-American War.
How Did the US and UK Gain Diplomatic Relations in the Late 1800’s and Early 1900’s?
The featured image is of the Cumbria county area in North West England. It may look empty, but there are approximately a half-million people who live there.