As we write on Friday morning the German Emperor is
impressing by his presence and his oratory, a strange con- course which includes the Mohammedan rabble of Tangier, the emissaries of the Sultan, Spaniards, Porbuguese, Jews, and other ethnological oddments, and finally the ex-brigand Raisuli. Unfortunately, however, the telegrams describing the event will not reach London till late this (Friday) evening, and we must therefore be content to withhold our comments till next Saturday. We have dealt elsewhere with the German Emperor's objects in disturbing the diplomatic quiet of Europe, as he has undoubtedly disturbed it, and will only note here the rumour that the Emperor's latest notion in world-politics is to proclaim himself, or at any rate to get himself recognised, as the protector of Mohammedans throughout the world. If he really has such an intention, and deems the scheme feasible, the Emperor is singularly ill-informed as to the temper of those who hold the Mohammedan creed. The bulk of the Mohammedan world is intensely ignorant and intensely arrogant, and though they could conceive a Christian Emperor coming to them for protection, they would not deem it possible that the true faith could need help from the Infidel. On the other hand, the cultivated Mohammedans, such as our fellow-subjects in Northern India and those who come into contact with Europeans elsewhere, would fully realise that the German Emperor was working solely for German interests, and had no desire to help Mohammedans for their own sake. Napoleon, it may be remembered, also had a fantastic notion of putting himself at the head of the Mohammedan world, and even proclaimed himself a semi-Moslem; but the idea made no impression on Mohammedan fanaticism, and came to nothing.
