Sooner or later the Caliphate, in some form or
another, would return to its original seat, and find there its final
resting-place.
Established at Mecca, our duty of protecting the head of the Mussulman
religion would be comparatively a simple one. Hejaz for all military
purposes is inaccessible by land for Europeans; and Mecca, were it
necessary at any time to give the Caliph a garrison of Mussulman
troops, is within a night's march of the coast. In Arabia no Christian
rights need vindication, nor could any European power put in a claim of
interference. Yemen, the only province capable of attracting European
speculation, would, I know, gladly accept an English protectorate, such
as has been already given with such good results to Oman; and other
points of the Arabian shore might equally be declared inviolable.
Arabia, in fact, might be declared the natural appanage of the
Caliphate, the Stati Pontificali of the supreme head of the Mussulman
religion. In its internal organization we should have no cause to
interfere; nor would its protection from without involve us in any
outlay.
It has already been shown how favourable an action an Arabian Caliphate
may be expected to exercise on the progressive thought of Islam.
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