Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from Capt Clarence Edward Dutton enclosing copies of topographical drawings of the Grand Canyon by William Henry Holmes. He pontificates over what text he will eventually send to accompany the drawings and asserts that the Grand Canyon was formed during the Pliocene and the Quaternary geological periods rather than by erosion during the Tertiary period. He promises to forward copies of Holmes' drawings of the Kaibab region shortly. He reports that John W Powell has become president of the United States Geological Survey, and feeling that it is in good hands Clarence King has resigned as vice-president. He reports that King will become the manager of Quincy Adams Shaw's mining interests in Boston and director of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad who are currently extending the line to San Francisco, the Gulf of California and Mexico City.