The Austrian Government, as was expected, has made a stern
reply to the Turkish Circular accusing its army of atrocities. Count Andrassy informs the Porte that its accusations are "con- trary to the truth," complains that no inquiry was made before the charges were published, calls the soldiers who attacked the hospital at Banjaluka "barbarous hordes" and the insurgents "untamable savages," and blankly denies the Turkish assertions about pillage. There have been military executions, but always after fair trial. Count Andrassy points to the difference between Austrian proceedings this year, and those of Omar Pasha in 1852, when the great renegade supported his army on requisitions, and sent up lists of persons to be executed to the Porte. He points to acts of "savage treachery," such as that at Maglai, and mentions that had the Austrian Government called the Christians to arms its work would have been easy, but then the Mahommedans would have been extirpated. The despatch, in fact, is written in a tone of defiance, and will probably elicit from the Porte another alleg- ing that it had been misinformed, and that of all humane persons in the world Croats are the most gentle. The Pashas did not care whether Austria had killed people or not, but fancied that a charge of "atrocities "was a new weapon invented in Europe, and very effectual,—and which, therefore, it behoved them to use. As it has failed, they will throw it aside, like a burnt-out fuse.
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