The Wilmingtonian., 1885-03-07
MOHAMMEDANISNI,
ITS Value as a war Factor In the
SOudan.

| bOudan.
1t is quite probable that the power Of Is
lam as factor in the Egyptian war has
been greatly over estimated by the Journal
istc warriors of Printing House Square,
New York, and their English correspond
ents.
The whole Mahammedan population of
the world is limited to within 1870 OOO. 900.
In India there are but 1000, 900 of them,
while in that country there are 200, 0c0, 600
Of Buddhists and Brahmins. The latter
representing the dominant religion of India,
and are as strongly opposed to the followers
of Mahomet as the Mohammeians to the
''dogs of feriughees'' the Europeans. Isla-
mism claims but 16s per cent of the popula-
tion of Hindostan so that practically the
the British have not that fear of a religious
war in India that the Herald, World, Times,
and other New York newspaper men have.
There is of course at ali times in any par
TALLY civilized country the possibility of an
outbreak when the ancient religious tradi-
tions of the land suffer disturbance Ma
homet established his teachings by the
sword. This is the literal fact, and that
the followers of creed indoctrinated by
such measures, should be ready to fly to
arms at any moment as in the present case
of the call of Ell Mahdi in the Soudan
should be no more matter Of surprise than
an equally sudden subsiding of the rebel
lion. The upper Soudan comprises to-day
the most ignorant nomadic, and supersti-
tious of all the followers of Mahomet.
Their co-religionists in Turkey and Lower
Egypt are almost different race. Euro
pean civilization, or its attrition has greatly
modified the Turkish Moslem, while his
confrere of Ell 0beid or the Bahuida Desert
is hardly distinguishable from the Belooch
robber or Afghan Hill men.
u The Mohammedans of Turkey discredit
the Mahdi's title to be a true prophet. 1t
is logical 70 snr.lnse tlE -sa,ne Of lie AaEas,.
of Hyderabad, the ruler of the greatest Mo
hammedan power in India. The Nizam has
no sympathy with the Mahdi, and has off
cred the British Government, of whom he
is tributary prince, a contingent of troops
for the Soudan. These troops would neces-
Earilv he Mob
Thousands of other troops from the 200
oOO,OO of Hindo population who are not CO.
religionists of the &ahd are obtainablc at
call by the British Government and it is
highly probable that they will be Utilized by
Lord Wolseley as the summer fighting
corps in the Soudan campaign. The flag Of
the prophet has no inspiration for the Bud
dhist or the Brahmiu.
In the debates upon tue floor of the
House of Commons we read no reports of
the members expressing any fear Of a Mo-
hammedan rising in India. The recent
mutterings of rebellion reported in connec-
tion with the questions upon Lord Ripon's,
Indian administration had no reference to
religious war. Did the probability exist
Gladstone's enemies in the House would
gladly have used it as weapon of attack
upon his administration. England IN India
adopts the methods of garrisoning the coun-
try taught by the Romans twenty centuries
ago She garrifoned her British fortresses
and Gallo legions, and German recruits held
the cities of Gaul in subjugatiou to Imperial
Rome. So in Hindostan, Mahrattas and
Sikhs fill the barracks of Bengal, while
the regiments of Bengalese and Madrassees
interchange. A limited number of these
native soldiers are Monammedans. They
are of an insufiiciently large number to in
stitute rebellion on the score Of religious
disaffection purely when considered in rela-
tion to the Overwhelmingly large majority
of Brahmins who represent the natural Ie-
ligion Of Hindostan. The recent despatch
of English regulars to India has reference to
Russo Afghan border difficulties alone.
1t needed special emissaries from the
Mahdi to stir up revolt at Yemen and other
Arabian localities. The great likelihood is
that the magnitude of any possible rising Of
Mohammcdans has been to great measure
Over-estimsted by those who conduct the
Egyptian campaign in the interests of jour-
nalistic sensatoualism on this side OF the
Great Herring Pond.