Crispis so-called megalomania gave place to retrenchment in home affairs and to a deferential attitude towards all foreign powers.
In short, complete Russification of all non-Russian populations and institutions was the chief aim of the government in home affairs.
The next six years, both in home and foreign policy, were marked by great vacillation.
He announced a complete reorganization of the navy, which was to be grouped in four fleets, three being for home defence, based on home ports (the third being the Atlantic fleet previously based on Gibraltar), and the fourth, based on Gibraltar, to operate either in home waters or in the Mediterranean.
Between 1858 and 1868 he was employed in home waters on a variety of special services, chiefly connected with gunnery, signalling and the tactical characteristics and capacities of steam warships.