The nature of the reply is not known.

Probably it was not encouraging; for on the next day (January 23) the British Admiralty ordered Admiral Hornby with the Mediterranean fleet to steam up the Dardanelles to Constantinople.
On the following day this was annulled, and the Admiral was directed not to proceed beyond Besika Bay[157].

The original order was the cause of the resignation of Lord Carnarvon.

The retirement of Lord Derby was also announced, but he afterwards withdrew it, probably on condition that the fleet did not enter the Sea of Marmora.
[Footnote 157: For the odd mistake in a telegram, which caused the original order, see _Sir Stafford Northcote, Earl of Iddesleigh_, by Andrew Lang, vol.ii.pp.

111-112.] Light was thus thrown on the dissensions in the Cabinet, and the vacillations in British policy.