We know little about the inner history of the Congress of Berlin, which is very different from the official Protocols that half reveal and half conceal its debates.  One fact and one incident claim attention as serving to throw curious sidelights on policy and character respectively.  The Emperor William had been shot at and severely wounded by a socialist fanatic, Dr. Nobiling, on June 2, 1878, and during the whole time of the Congress the Crown Prince Frederick acted as regent of the Empire.  Limited as his powers were by law, etiquette, and Bismarck, he is said to have used them on behalf of Austria and England.  The old Emperor thought so; for in a moment of confiding indiscretion he hinted to the Princess Radziwill (a Russian by birth) that Russian interests would have fared better at Berlin had he then been steering the ship of State[173].  Possibly this explains why Bismarck always maintained that he had done what he could for his Eastern neighbour, and that he really deserved a Russian decoration for his services during the Congress.

[Footnote 173:  Princess Radziwill, My Recollections (Eng. ed. 1900), p. 91.]

The incident, which flashes a search-light into character and discloses the recherche joys of statecraft, is also described in the sprightly Memoirs of Princess Radziwill.  She was present at a brilliant reception held on the evening of the day when the Cyprus Convention had come to light.  Diplomatists and generals were buzzing eagerly and angrily when the Earl of Beaconsfield appeared.  A slight hush came over the wasp-like clusters as he made his way among them, noting everything with his restless, inscrutable eyes.  At last he came near the Princess, once a bitter enemy, but now captivated and captured by his powers of polite irony.  “What are you thinking of,” she asked.  “I am not thinking at all,” he replied, “I am enjoying myself[174].”  After that one can understand why Jew-baiting became a favourite sport in Russia throughout the next two decades.

[Footnote 174:  Ibid. p. 149.]

We turn now to note the terms of the Treaty of Berlin (July 13, 1878)[175].  The importance of this compact will be seen if its provisions are compared with those of the Treaty of San Stefano, which it replaced.  Instead of the greater Bulgaria subjected for two years to Russian control, the Congress ordained that Bulgaria proper should not extend beyond the main chain of the Balkans, thus reducing its extent from 163,000 square kilometres to 64,000, and its population from four millions to a million and a half.  The period of military occupation and supervision of the new administration by Russia was reduced to nine months.  At the end of that time, and on the completion of the “organic law,” a Prince was to be elected “freely” by the population of the Principality.  The new State remained under the suzerainty of Turkey, the Sultan confirming the election of the new Prince of Bulgaria, “with the assent of the Powers.”