Bismarck offered his services as mediator, and suggested that a
European Congress should be held at Berlin to discuss the contents of
the Treaty of San Stefano. This was agreed to, and Lord Beaconsfield,
accompanied by Lord Salisbury, were the British representatives at the
Congress. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary drove a hard
and favourable bargain for Turkey and for Britain. Turkey, it is
needless to say, got the worst of it; but, considering her crushing
defeat, came well out of the settlement. Cyprus was ceded to the
British, to be used as a naval station, and subsequent experience has
proved the wisdom of this acquisition. Lord Beaconsfield proclaimed to
a tumultuous crowd on the occasion of his return to London that he had
brought back "peace with honour." This was the acme of the great
Jew's fame. It looked as though he could have done anything he liked
with the British people, so that it is no wonder that the old man lost
his balance when such homage was paid him by that section of the
public which was smitten with his picturesque and audacious
personality.

Naturally, his policy impregnated Russia with a strong anti-British
feeling, and it was said that her activity in running up earthworks
and apparently impregnable fortifications was in anticipation of
Disraeli declaring war and ordering the fleet to bombard the Crimean
ports; hence, too, in addition to the strong fortifications, torpedo
mines were laid for miles along the seaboard, and every possible means
and opportunity were taken to make it widely known that the Black Sea
was one deadly mine-field. The Press on all sides was, as usual,
brimful of reports of the most alarmist nature--these, of course, for
the most part extravagant and inaccurate rumours. Nor did the Russian
Press minimize accounts of the terrible devastation that was wrought