Editing Benjamin Disraeli (section)

====Congress of Berlin====
{{main|Congress of Berlin}}

The Russians pushed through Ottoman territory and by December 1877 had captured the strategic Bulgarian town of [[Pleven|Plevna]]. The war divided the British, but the Russian success caused some to forget the atrocities and call for intervention on the Turkish side. Others hoped for further Russian successes. The fall of Plevna was a major story for weeks, and Disraeli's warnings that Russia was a threat to British interests in the eastern Mediterranean were deemed prophetic. The [[jingoistic]] attitude of many Britons increased Disraeli's political support, and the Queen showed her favour by visiting him at Hughenden—the first time she had visited the country home of her prime minister since [[Second Melbourne ministry|the Melbourne ministry]]. At the end of January 1878, the Ottoman Sultan appealed to Britain to save Constantinople. Amid war fever in Britain, the government asked Parliament to vote £6,000,000 to prepare the [[British Army|Army]] and [[Royal Navy|Navy]] for war. Gladstone opposed the measure, but less than half his party voted with him. Popular opinion was with Disraeli, though some thought him too soft for not immediately declaring war on Russia.<ref>Aldous, pp. 279–284</ref>

[[File:Bulgaria-SanStefano -(1878)-byTodorBozhinov.png|thumb|Bulgaria as constituted under the San Stefano treaty and as divided at Berlin|alt=A map. See description]]
With the Russians close to Constantinople, the Turks yielded and in March 1878, signed the [[Treaty of San Stefano]], [[Liberation of Bulgaria|conceding a Bulgarian state]] covering a large part of the Balkans. It would be initially Russian-occupied and many feared that it would give them a [[client state]] close to Constantinople. Other Ottoman possessions in Europe would become independent; additional territory was to be ceded directly to Russia. This was unacceptable to the British, who protested, hoping to get the Russians to agree to attend an international conference which German Chancellor Bismarck proposed to hold at Berlin. The cabinet discussed Disraeli's proposal to position Indian troops at Malta for possible transit to the Balkans<ref>Roberts, pp. 185–187</ref> and call out reserves. Derby resigned in protest, and Disraeli appointed Salisbury as Foreign Secretary. Amid British preparations for war, the Russians and Turks agreed to discussions at Berlin.<ref>Weintraub, pp. 588–590</ref>

In advance of the meeting, confidential negotiations took place between Britain and Russia in April and May 1878. The Russians were willing to make changes to the big Bulgaria, but were determined to retain their new possessions, [[Bessarabia]] in Europe and [[Batum]] and [[Kars]] on the east coast of the [[Black Sea]]. To counterbalance this, Britain required a possession in the Eastern Mediterranean where it might base ships and troops and negotiated with the Ottomans for the cession of [[Cyprus]]. Once this was secretly agreed, Disraeli was prepared to allow Russia's territorial gains.<ref>Blake (1967), pp. 644–645</ref>

[[File:Pas-de-deux-disraeli-salisbury.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Disraeli (right) and Salisbury as Knights of the Garter, portrayed by [[John Tenniel]] in ''The Pas de deux (From the Scène de Triomphe in the Grand Anglo-Turkish Ballet d'Action)''|alt=Refer to caption]]

The [[Congress of Berlin]] was held in June and July 1878, the central relationship in it that between Disraeli and Bismarck. In later years, the German chancellor would show visitors to his office three pictures on the wall: "the portrait of my Sovereign, there on the right that of my wife, and on the left, there, that of Lord Beaconsfield".<ref>Aldous, p. 284</ref> Disraeli caused an uproar in the congress by making his opening address in English, rather than in French, hitherto accepted as the international language of diplomacy. By one account, the British ambassador in Berlin, [[Lord Odo Russell]], hoping to spare the delegates Disraeli's very poor French accent, told Disraeli that the congress was hoping to hear a speech in English by one of its masters.<ref name = "b648">Blake (1967), p. 648</ref>

Disraeli left much of the detailed work to Salisbury, concentrating his efforts on making it as difficult as possible for the broken-up big Bulgaria to reunite.<ref name = "b648" /> Disraeli intended that Batum be demilitarised, but the Russians obtained their preferred language, and in 1886, fortified the town. Nevertheless, the [[Cyprus Convention]] ceding the island to Britain was announced during the congress, and again made Disraeli a sensation.<ref name = "b649">Blake (1967), p. 649</ref>

Disraeli gained agreement that Turkey should retain enough of its European possessions to safeguard the [[Dardanelles]]. By one account, when met with Russian intransigence, Disraeli told his secretary to order a special train to return them home to begin the war. Czar Alexander II later described the congress as "a European coalition against Russia, under Bismarck".<ref>Weintraub, pp. 595–596</ref>

The [[Treaty of Berlin (1878)|Treaty of Berlin]] was signed on 13 July 1878 at the [[Reich Chancellery|Radziwill Palace]] in Berlin.{{refn|For the first time, the title of Britain's lead signatory was given as "Prime Minister":<ref>Aldous, p. 285</ref> Disraeli signed as "First Lord of the Treasury and Prime Minister of her Britannic Majesty".<ref>Chris Bryant, ''Parliament: The Biography (Volume II – Reform)'', Random House, 2014. p. 45</ref>|group= n}} Disraeli and Salisbury returned home to heroes' receptions. At the door of [[10 Downing Street]], Disraeli received flowers sent by the Queen.<ref>Aldous, pp. 286–287</ref> There, he told the gathered crowd, "Lord Salisbury and I have brought you back peace—but a peace I hope with honour."<ref name="Weintraub, p. 597">Weintraub, p. 597</ref>{{refn|Disraeli was probably trying to evoke the unfortunate words of Russell before the Crimean War, "If peace cannot be maintained with honour, it is no longer peace."<ref name="Weintraub, p. 597"/> Disraeli's words would be recalled by later Prime Minister [[Neville Chamberlain]] in 1938, saying that it was the second time a Prime Minister had [[Munich Agreement|returned from Germany]] bearing peace with honour, before declaring "peace for our time".<ref>Aldous, p. 287</ref>|group= n}} The Queen offered him a dukedom, which he declined, though accepting [[Order of the Garter|the Garter]], as long as Salisbury also received it.<ref>Bradford, p. 354</ref> In Berlin, word spread of Bismarck's admiring description of Disraeli, "''Der alte Jude, das ist der Mann!''&nbsp;"{{refn|Variously translated, but literally "The old Jew, this is the man!"|group= n}}<ref>Weintraub, p. 598</ref>
In the weeks after Berlin, Disraeli and the cabinet considered calling a general election to capitalise on the public applause he and Salisbury had received. Parliaments were then for a seven-year term, and it was the custom not to go to the country until the sixth year unless forced to by events. Only four and a half years had passed and they did not see any clouds on the horizon that might forecast Conservative defeat if they waited. This decision not to seek re-election has often been cited as a great mistake by Disraeli. Blake, however, pointed out that results in local elections had been moving against the Conservatives, and doubted if Disraeli missed any great opportunity by waiting.<ref>Blake (1967), pp. 655–656</ref>