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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 131, 21 October 1912, Page 4

MOSLEM UNREST. It is hardly to be wondered at that tie Moslems of India and other parts of Asia should be exhibiting a good deal of unrest at the present time. During the past twelve mouths much has happened to justify their fear that the Christian Powers, the champions of liberty and protagonists of progress, are deliberately working and conspiring to annex the territories of the few remaining Mohammedan states.. Britain and Russia have "occupied" Persia; France has proclaimed' her ownership of Morocco; Italy has seized Tripoli; Austria has quietly annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkish provinces, and now the Balkan Christian States are combining to punish the Turk and effectually clip his wings. Oust previously Britain "occupied" another part of Turkey's dominions, Egypt. All along the line, it will thifs- be seen, the Moslem has been pushed back and his interests commandeered by Christian Powers, It is true that in the majority of cases the change will in the long run be to the advantage of the subject races and civilisation as a whole, but that reflection will not allay the fears or restore the confidence of the Mohammedans, dreaming of universal Empire, as of yore. ■Britain holds sway over more Mohammedans than Christians. Tlius the unI rest that is being manifested concerns her most vitally. An important letter j appearing in the London Times just before the mail left shows with what keen interest the Mohammedans of India follow the happenings in Morocco, Tripoli, Persia and Turkey. "Affairs in Morocco aroused an interest which was extraordinary, considering how remote ' from India that country is. But the Tripoli business has occasioned something like a ferment," the reason being tha/t " many pious believers are convinced that it is from out of the heart of Africa that the Mahdi, who is to reconquer the world on behalf of the Faith, is to arise. The news from Tripoli has spread to the remotest parts, and has occasioned a tenseness of feeling in the Moslem world which is almost unexampled." To reassure her Mohammedan population is Britain's aim and duty, but in the light of what has been and is going on in the Mohammedan lands within striking distance of Europe, it is one fraught with considerable difficulty, which is not diminished "by the ignorant denunciation! of British rule in India and encouragement of Indian disaffection indulged in by irresponsible firebrands in Britain, who regard India in the light of a burden —a possession which, in the words of the Spectator, us of some of our best citizens and saddles us' with the government of a heterogeneous people, nations and languages, of whose minds and wishes we know nothing." Englishmen of this type will do well to study Homer Lea's "The Day o\ the Saxon." There they will see in what light India is regarded by an acute American observer. "Had India not been where it is there would have resulted no British Empire. . . . Were it not

for India the British nation would have been confined to the United Kingdom and America. It was India that brought the Saxon eastward, and it was the strategic position of India that made possible their Empire." We in New Zealand and Australia are vitally affected. "The security of Australasia rests entirely upon one condition—the integrity and continuance of the British Empire. With the loss of India through revolt or conquest the Empire is sheltered," and with it disappears our dominion in the Pacific. The messages conerning Moslem disaffection in India and the preaching of spiritual supremacy of the Ameer of Afghanistan over the Mohammedans of the world (ire therefore of moment to us on the outposts of the Empire. The present condition of things is not free from anxiety and risk, and it is not improved by the course of events in the Balkans.