Cavendish in Downing Street, Gandhi in Pretoria: A TLIAW

As far as I'm aware it was officially known as the Constantinople Conference at the time...

More importantly does this all seem plausible? I'm basing some of what Gladstone's doing on what he did during his second term, as well as some of the stuff he wrote about during the period in opposition.

Disraeli will reappear shortly..
 
The Return of Disraeli: The Formation of a New Political Party

Benjamin Disraeli found himself dismayed by the path his party was taking. Under the leadership of Northcote they had begun to subscribe to Gladstonian thinking: they had barely challenged the government on either its domestic or foreign policy. In essence, what sort of opposition were they?

Disraeli, was not alone in his scepticism surrounding the Tory approach under Northcote. Many of the traditional patrician rural Tories were beginning to sway to Disraeli's old vision, convinced they could, through an appeal to agrarian interests and reform. It was this alienation and a desire to defeat both the Liberals and the rising Irish problem, that a group of seven parliamentarians (five in the Commons, two including Disraeli in the Lords [1]), met in Disraeli's London home to discuss what was to be done.

The plan that emerged was simple: maintain the traditional appeal to agrarian interests, particularly those of farmers, while appealing to popular reform in the city, in order to hit the Liberals in their traditional heartland, while minimising any socialistic impact.

Following this informal London meeting, the Centre Party was formed, with Disraeli as its leader. While not challenging for direct power, it would find itself becoming all the more important as the years went past...

[1] Following its formation, and the defection of "the seven" to the newly formed party, the Centre Party's most prominent members were: Randolph Churchill, Richard Cross, Benjamin DIsraeli, A.V. Dicey and following his defection from the Liberal Party Joseph Chamberlain.

P.S. Apologies for the late update, but due to health and work commitments this is likely to be a timeline in a month rather than a week.
 
The Treaty of London, 1878

Following the conclusion of the Russo-Turkish War [1], the two sides agreed to a peace settlement, eventually settling on the terms of the Treaty of Adrianople [2]. This treaty, however alarmed the other Great Powers, particularly the Austrians, who viewed any major Russian expansion ino the Balkans as a strong upset of the status quo.

As a result the Great Powers, and the parties of the Balkans agreed to a second treaty negotiation to be held in London: the result would be of great surprise to the Russians, who found an unexpected ally with William Gladstone, who agreed to the formation of the Bulgarian state, though he vetoed any annexation of Ottoman Macedonia to the new state. [3] Nevertheless, Britain and Germany (despite the ruminations of Austria) agreed to the original treaty's articles transforming Bosnia into a autonomous part of the Ottoman Empire, the recognition of independence for Serbia, Montenegro and Romania and the granting of neutral shipping rights to the Straights of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.

While the treaty would improve relations between Britain and Russia [4], the reaction from the Conservative opposition and press, was near hysterical, with Gladstone accused of selling out the Ottomans to Russian perfidy. Nevertheless, Gladstone ensured that the new Bulgarian state would not be fully Russianised by convincing the other Great Powers to back the British supported claimant for the throne, twenty year old Prince Valdemar of Denmark [5], who was related to both royal houses through his relatives marriages.

The Balkans was a very different place from 1876...

[1] Pretty much follows the same course as OTL, though the Russians don't do quite so well in the Caucasus, with the Ottomans maintaining hold of their Armenian provinces (as the Russians were unable to conquer them.)
[2] Pretty much identical to OTL Treaty of San Stefano.
[3] William Gladstone, when in opposition during the late 1870s fully opposed British actions in regards to the Balkans and was a supporter of Bulgarian nationhood: hence Britain supporting an independent (though not the Greater Bulgaria envisioned by the Russians) Bulgaria.
[4] So much so that the Anglo-Afghan War of 1878-80 is butterfiled away: though the two nations are still wary of each other, and Britain finds itself closer to the liberal Germany.
[5] Younger brother of OTL George I of Greece, he ascends the throne in late 1878 as Alexander I of Bulgaria.
 
Following the conclusion of the Russo-Turkish War [1], the two sides agreed to a peace settlement, eventually settling on the terms of the Treaty of Adrianople [2]. This treaty, however alarmed the other Great Powers, particularly the Austrians, who viewed any major Russian expansion ino the Balkans as a strong upset of the status quo.

As a result the Great Powers, and the parties of the Balkans agreed to a second treaty negotiation to be held in London: the result would be of great surprise to the Russians, who found an unexpected ally with William Gladstone, who agreed to the formation of the Bulgarian state, though he vetoed any annexation of Ottoman Macedonia to the new state. [3] Nevertheless, Britain and Germany (despite the ruminations of Austria) agreed to the original treaty's articles transforming Bosnia into a autonomous part of the Ottoman Empire, the recognition of independence for Serbia, Montenegro and Romania and the granting of neutral shipping rights to the Straights of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.

While the treaty would improve relations between Britain and Russia [4], the reaction from the Conservative opposition and press, was near hysterical, with Gladstone accused of selling out the Ottomans to Russian perfidy. Nevertheless, Gladstone ensured that the new Bulgarian state would not be fully Russianised by convincing the other Great Powers to back the British supported claimant for the throne, twenty year old Prince Valdemar of Denmark [5], who was related to both royal houses through his relatives marriages.

The Balkans was a very different place from 1876...

[1] Pretty much follows the same course as OTL, though the Russians don't do quite so well in the Caucasus, with the Ottomans maintaining hold of their Armenian provinces (as the Russians were unable to conquer them.)
[2] Pretty much identical to OTL Treaty of San Stefano.
[3] William Gladstone, when in opposition during the late 1870s fully opposed British actions in regards to the Balkans and was a supporter of Bulgarian nationhood: hence Britain supporting an independent (though not the Greater Bulgaria envisioned by the Russians) Bulgaria.
[4] So much so that the Anglo-Afghan War of 1878-80 is butterfiled away: though the two nations are still wary of each other, and Britain finds itself closer to the liberal Germany.
[5] Younger brother of OTL George I of Greece, he ascends the throne in late 1878 as Alexander I of Bulgaria.
Why would this treaty improve relations with Russia? It's practically the same as the Treaty of Berlin. And trying to put the British choice on the throne in Bulgaria is going to make them worse than OTL (also Bulgaria was certainly not Russianized in OTL, whatever this is supposed to mean). Also, Britain was concerned with Russia coming close to Constantinople, not with Macedonia (this was Austria-Hungary's worry), so letting it stay with Bulgaria seems an obvious place to improve relations with Russia.
 
Why would this treaty improve relations with Russia? It's practically the same as the Treaty of Berlin. And trying to put the British choice on the throne in Bulgaria is going to make them worse than OTL (also Bulgaria was certainly not Russianized in OTL, whatever this is supposed to mean). Also, Britain was concerned with Russia coming close to Constantinople, not with Macedonia (this was Austria-Hungary's worry), so letting it stay with Bulgaria seems an obvious place to improve relations with Russia.

Fair criticism. I'll make some amendments when I have more time :)
 
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