ملف ١٩١٦/٣٥٧٩ "تركيا: مستقبل القسطنطينية" [و‎‎٥‎١] (٥٣٠/١١٠)

Further it io to fcorao in mind that if Turkey turned
out of Europe she Trould lose the temptation to spend the ®nomouo
suma she has had to squander on maintaining an army and a navy,
at any rate an army, to sustain the illusion that she is a great
j^ower.
Lastly (this brings ne rather into collision witht^e vieva that
are put forward by Sir Hamilton Grant of the Government of India)
if the Turk were turned cut of Europe it would settle to my mind for
all time the question of the Khalifate. How has the Ottoman Sultan
been able, through all these c&uturies, to hold the position of
Khalif? As is well kmown he is not of the Krrsish family, and from
the point of view of descent his claim to the spiritual supremacy
is as we know } widely disputed in the Moslem world. Ke has been
enabled to keep it, in the main, for two reasons. Firstly, because
he has been the custodian of the Holy Places, and, secohdly, because
he has had Constantinople. The first has given him great
spiritual distinction and authority over the Moslems all over the
world. The second has enabled him to pose as the groat Islamic
power. Ha has already lost the Holy Places. If he also loses
Constantinople, it seems to me, his chances of retaining the
Khalifate ar'* g$ne. What they may be if he remains there I do not
know. I should think that they are doubtful. If he loses
Constantinople I imagine that there can be very little doubt that
the Mahomedan world will not accept as a Khalif a sovereign who has
been dispossessed of Constantinople, Mecca and Medina, and who has
been driven back into the highlands of Asia.
I have stated what seem to be the reasons for getting rid of
the Turk from Europe altogether. Mow let ua consider the reasons
against.
Firstly, we are told that it would outrage Mahomedan sentiment
throughout the world. I very much wonder if that would be the case
myself. This war had really applied a wonderful test-stone to
the solidarity cl Islam, and as the various Powers who have been
fighting the Turk, and so many of whom have large Turkish possessions
of their own, whEsther they be in Africa or in Asia, successively