The “scientific” dimension of European imperialism not only seemed to affirm existing views about Muslims and Islam it also helped deepen fears by proving how many Muslims existed. Anglo-American literature about Muslims repeatedly stressed their considerable population. Recall that in Smith’s essay on Turkey, he warned Americans of “hordes of yet unnamed barbarian invaders” that might sweep the US if enough missionaries did not meet the Islamic threat. In 1842 Hayward indicated a world population of 140 million Muslims. An 1850 letter in the Missionary Herald by a “Mr. Hume” began with a reckoning of the relative numbers of Muslims and Hindus in Bombay, drawing on data derived from the recently instituted census there.

XREF: Connects to broader scholarship on how colonial censuses constructed and exaggerated demographic threats to justify intervention.

Peter Gottschalk and Gabriel Greenberg, Common Heritage, Uncommon F…, loc. 90