The press and Anglo‐Ottoman relations, 1876–1909

Abstract

The effect and the influence of the press in the development of the panIslamic feelings among the Muslims in the second half of the nineteenth century have often been overlooked by historians. As a matter fact the press was one of the most important means of expression and communication among the Muslims of different countries. It was especially because of this that the issue of the press sometimes caused problems in relations between Muslim countries and European states, and particularly between Britain and Turkey. In the light of new archival material from India and Turkey, we will examine here the effect that the publication of three newspapers Paik-i Islam, Al-Khalifa and al-Ghayrathad upon Anglo-Ottoman relations in the second half of the nineteenth century. It is known that the development and flourishing of Muslim newspapers coincided with the beginning of the ferment in the Muslim world at around the middle of the nineteenth century. The growing interest of Muslims in the affairs of their fellows spawned many newspapers in Muslim countries and translated news and articles were reproduced from each other. In Turkey this was especially encouraged by the Porte, with the aim of rising the profile of the Sultan Caliph extending his influence in the world.1 As the Ottoman Empire was the strongest Muslim power in the world, the Muslim press everywhere was very pro-Ottoman, the Indian press being most conspicuously so. Initially, at least until the late 1870s, the British attitude to this was quite lenient, because to start with Anglo-Ottoman relations were good. However, the beginning of the deterioration of Anglo-Ottoman relations was soon to be reflected in both countries' approach to the press. In India, for example, the proOttoman stand taken by the Muslim newspapers during the RussoTurkish War of 1877-78, and their sometimes open criticism of British policy became a matter of concern to the Indian government. Lytton, the Viceroy, fearing that 'the ignorant masses might be excited against the Government' by the hostile vernacular press, wanted to introduce 'some strong means of repression.' Soon the Vernacular Press Act passed in 1878 severely restricted the freedom of the native Indian press.2