In the midst of the proceedings, after the Turkish Foreign Minister, Safvet Pacha, had explained away the Bulgarian massacres as a myth woven by the Western imagination, salvoes of cannon were heard, that proclaimed the birth of a new and most democratic constitution for the whole of the Turkish Empire.

Safvet did justice to the solemnity of the occasion; the envoys of the Powers suppressed their laughter; and before long, Lord Salisbury showed his resentment at this display of oriental irony and stubbornness by ordering the British Fleet to withdraw from Besika Bay[111].
[Footnote 111: See Gallenga (_The Eastern Question_, vol.ii.

pp.
255-258) as to the scepticism regarding the new constitution, felt alike by foreigners and natives at Constantinople.] But deeds and words were alike wasted on the Sultan and his Ministers.
To all the proposals and warnings of the Powers they replied by pointing to the superior benefits about to be conferred by the new constitution.
The Conference therefore speedily came to an end (Jan.

20).

It had served its purpose.