The Times of Friday publishes a long paper on Count
Kalnoky, the ultimate drift of which is that he is probably a second-rate man, though a good diplomatist, exceedingly well- informed, and industrious beyond precedent. He is popular, too, with subordinates, treating them with great consideration. He is accused of too much deference to Russia, and of allowing Austria to lose much of her influence in the Balkan States, and it is doubted whether, now that Prince Bismarck has dis- appeared, the Austrian Chancellor will be able to assume the leading position in Europe which properly belongs to him. This is probably too depreciatory an estimate of Count Kalnoky. He is not a commanding genius ; but a commanding genius would, without a General of genius, wreck Austria. As regards the past, Count Kalnoky's first business has been to efface himself, for Prince Bismarck bore no rivals, and as regards the future, the point is not what he is in him- self, but what the dual person Kalnoky + Francis Joseph amounts to. We should say the total will be found consider- able.
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