Letter to Sir Archibald Geikie from Capt Clarence Edward Dutton discussing his field trip to the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii). He reports on the large scale of the ultra basic basalt lava flows of the Mauna Loa eruption and the lack of cinder cones. He reports on the ferruginous nature of the lavas and their high olivine content along with observed layers of hematite and magnetite. He describes the volcano's impressive topography and its inability to support running water.

He asks Geikie if he received both first and second copies of proofs of Tertiary History of the Grand Canyon District, ( 1882) during his absence and hopes that the review Grove Karl Gilbert wrote of Geikie's work is satisfactory. He reports that the United States Geological Survey may have its funding cut by Congress in the near future and that the Government Printing Office is prioritising Congressional work ahead of that of the United States Geological Survey.