It would seem, then, on all these grounds difficult for England to ally herself, in dealing with Islam, with what may be called the Crusading States of Europe.  Her position is absolutely distinct from that of any of them, and her interests find no parallel among Christian nations, except perhaps the Dutch.  For good as for evil, she has admitted a vast body of Mohammedans into her social community, and contracted engagements from which she can hardly recede towards others among them, so that it is impossible she should really work in active antagonism to them.  As Christians, Englishmen may regret this; but as practical men, they would surely be wise to recognize the fact, and to accept the duties it entails.  Nor can these be discharged by a mere policy of inaction.  England should be prepared to do more than assert a general doctrine of tolerance and equality for all religions in respect of this one.  Mohammedanism is not merely an opinion; a certain political organization is a condition of its existence, and a certain geographical latitude; and, moreover, it is a force which cannot remain neutral—­which will be either a friend or a foe.  To do nothing for Mussulmans in the next ten years will be to take cause against them.  The circumstances of their case do not admit of indifference, and they are approaching a crisis in which they will, on two points at least, require vigorous political protection.  Their Caliphate in some form of temporal sovereignty, though perhaps not of empire, will have to be maintained; and short of securing this to them, and their free access as pilgrims to Mecca, it will be idle to pretend to Mussulmans that we are protecting their interests, or doing any part of our sovereign duty towards them.  It can hardly be argued that the Indian doctrine of religious equality will suffer from doing political justice to Mohammedans.

On the downfall, therefore, of the Ottoman Empire, whenever that event shall occur, the role of England in regard to Islam seems plainly marked out.  The Caliphate—­no longer an empire, but still an independent sovereignty—­must be taken under British protection, and publicly guaranteed its political existence, undisturbed by further aggression from Europe.  On the Bosphorus no such guarantee can now be reasonably given, because there it lies in a position militarily indefensible.  England is a naval power, and the seat of the Caliphate must be one secured from all attack by land.  It will then be for Mohammedans, and especially for the Mohammedans of India, to decide upon the new metropolis of their faith, the conditions of their choice lying within the narrow limits of their still independent lands.  If Syria be still free, that metropolis may be Damascus; if Irak, Bagdad; or it may be in Egypt, or Arabia, or Central Asia.