HIGH YIELD PLUS FUND INC
DEF 14A, 1997-07-10
Previous: WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS /TX/, 424B3, 1997-07-10
Next: LEHMAN ABS CORP, 424B5, 1997-07-10





                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. __)


Filed by the Registrant |X| 
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant |_| 
Check the appropriate box: 
|_| Preliminary Proxy Statement 
|_| Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by 
    Rule  14a-6(e)(2))  
|X| Definitive Proxy Statement 
|_| Definitive Additional Materials 
|_| Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-11(c) or ss.240.14a-12

                         THE HIGH YIELD PLUS FUND, INC.
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

|X| No fee required.
|_| Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

   -------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

   -------------------------------------------------------------------

3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction  computed pursuant to
   Exchange  Act Rule 0-11  (Set  forth the  amount on which the  filing  fee is
   calculated and state how it was determined):

   -------------------------------------------------------------------

4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

   -------------------------------------------------------------------

   5) Total fee paid:
   -------------------------------------------------------------------

|_| Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
|_| Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange  Act Rule
0-11(a)(2)  and  identify  the  filing  for  which the  offsetting  fee was paid
previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration  statement  number, or
the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.



1) Amount Previously Paid:

   ---------------------------------------

2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

   ---------------------------------------

3) Filing Party:

   ---------------------------------------

4) Date Filed:

   ---------------------------------------
<PAGE>

                         THE HIGH YIELD PLUS FUND, INC.
                              GATEWAY CENTER THREE
                               100 MULBERRY STREET
                          NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 07102-4077

                            -----------------------
                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                            -----------------------

                                 AUGUST 26, 1997


To our Stockholders:

     NOTICE IS HEREBY  GIVEN that the Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  ("Annual
Meeting") of The High Yield Plus Fund, Inc.  ("Fund") will be held on August 26,
1997 at 3:30 p.m., at the Plaza Building,  751 Broad Street,  Newark, New Jersey
07102 for the following purposes:

     (1)  To elect one director to serve until 2000;

     (2)  To ratify the selection of Price Waterhouse LLP as independent  public
          accountants of the Fund for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1998; and

     (3)  To  consider  and act upon any other  business  as may  properly  come
          before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

     Only holders of common stock of record at the close of business on June 13,
1997  are  entitled  to  notice  of and to vote  at the  Annual  Meeting  or any
adjournment thereof.

                                         By order of the Board of Directors,


                                         /s/Arthur J. Brown
                                            ARTHUR J. BROWN
                                              SECRETARY

Dated: July 2, 1997


================================================================================

     YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT--PLEASE RETURN YOUR PROXY CARD PROMPTLY

     STOCKHOLDERS  ARE  INVITED  TO ATTEND THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  IN PERSON.  ANY
STOCKHOLDER  WHO DOES NOT  EXPECT  TO  ATTEND  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  IS URGED TO
INDICATE VOTING  INSTRUCTIONS  ON THE ENCLOSED FORM OF PROXY,  DATE AND SIGN IT,
AND RETURN IT IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED,  WHICH NEEDS NO POSTAGE IF MAILED IN THE
UNITED STATES.  IN ORDER TO AVOID THE ADDITIONAL  EXPENSE TO THE FUND OF FURTHER
SOLICITATION,  WE ASK YOUR COOPERATION IN MAILING YOUR PROXY PROMPTLY, NO MATTER
HOW LARGE OR SMALL YOUR HOLDINGS MAY BE.

================================================================================
<PAGE>

                         THE HIGH YIELD PLUS FUND, INC.
                              GATEWAY CENTER THREE
                               100 MULBERRY STREET
                          NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 07102-4077

                              --------------------
                                 PROXY STATEMENT
                              --------------------

                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                                 AUGUST 26, 1997


                                  INTRODUCTION

     This Proxy  Statement is furnished  to the  stockholders  of The High Yield
Plus Fund,  Inc.  ("Fund") by the Board of Directors  of the Fund in  connection
with the solicitation of stockholder  votes by proxy  ("Proxies") to be voted at
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders  ("Meeting") to be held on August 26, 1997 at
3:30 p.m. at the Plaza Building, 751 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. The
matters to be acted upon at the Meeting are set forth in the accompanying Notice
of Annual Meeting.

     If the enclosed  form of Proxy is executed  properly and  returned,  shares
represented  by it  will  be  voted  at  the  Meeting  in  accordance  with  the
instructions on the Proxy. A Proxy may nevertheless be revoked at any time prior
to its use by written  notification  received by the Fund, by the execution of a
later dated Proxy or by attending the Meeting and voting in person.  However, if
no instructions are specified on a Proxy,  shares will be voted FOR the election
of the nominee for director and FOR the other proposals.

     The close of  business  on June 13,  1997 has been fixed as the record date
for the  determination of stockholders  entitled to notice of and to vote at the
Meeting.  On  that  date,  the  Fund  had  11,269,057  shares  of  common  stock
outstanding and entitled to vote. Each share will be entitled to one vote at the
Meeting.  It is expected that the Notice of Annual Meeting,  Proxy Statement and
form of Proxy first will be mailed to stockholders on or about July 8, 1997.

     The  solicitation  is made primarily by the mailing of this Proxy Statement
and the accompanying  Proxy.  Supplementary  solicitations may be made,  without
cost to the  Fund,  by  mail,  telephone,  telegraph  or in  person  by  regular
employees  of   Prudential   Investments   Fund   Management   LLC,  the  Fund's
Administrator  ("Administrator")  or the Administrator's  affiliate,  Prudential
Securities Incorporated  ("Prudential  Securities").  All expenses in connection
with  preparing  this  Proxy  Statement  and  its  enclosures,   and  additional
solicitation expenses including  reimbursement of brokerage firms and others for
their  expenses in  forwarding  proxy  solicitation  material to the  beneficial
owners of shares,  will be borne by the Fund.  The presence at the  Meeting,  in
person or by proxy,  of  stockholders  entitled to cast a majority of the shares
outstanding  is required for a quorum.  In the event that a quorum is present at
the Meeting but  sufficient  votes to approve one or more of the proposed  items
are  not  received,  the  persons  named  as  proxies  may  propose  one or more
adjournments  of such  Meeting to permit  further  solicitation  of Proxies with
respect to those items. Any such  adjournments will require the affirmative vote
of a majority of those shares present at the Meeting or represented by proxy. In
such case,  the persons  named as proxies will vote those Proxies which they are
entitled  to vote for any such  item in favor of such an  adjournment,  and will
vote those  Proxies  required to be voted against any such item against any such
adjournment. A stockholder vote may be taken on one or more of the items in this
Proxy  Statement  prior to any such  adjournment  if sufficient  votes have been
received and it is otherwise  appropriate.

                                       1
<PAGE>

     Broker  non-votes  are  shares  held in street  name for  which the  broker
indicates that instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or
other  persons  entitled  to vote and with  respect to which the broker does not
have  discretionary  voting authority.  Abstentions and broker non-votes will be
counted  as shares  present  for  purposes  of  determining  whether a quorum is
present  but will not be voted  for or  against  any  adjournment.  Accordingly,
abstentions and broker non-votes  effectively will be a vote against adjournment
or against any proposal  where the required  vote is a percentage  of the shares
present. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted, however, as votes
cast for purposes of determining  whether sufficient votes have been received to
approve a proposal.

     Management  does not know of any person or group who owned  beneficially 5%
or more of the Fund's outstanding common stock on the record date.


                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 1

     The Board of  Directors  is  divided  into  three  classes  with each class
serving  for a term of three years and until  their  successors  are elected and
qualified.  The Class III director, Mr. Mooney, has a term expiring in 1997. The
classification  of the Fund's  directors  helps to promote  the  continuity  and
stability  of the Fund's  management  and  policies  because the majority of the
directors at any given time will have prior experience as directors of the Fund.
At least two  stockholder  meetings,  instead of one,  are  required to effect a
change  in a  majority  of the  directors,  except  in the  event  of  vacancies
resulting from removal for cause or other  reasons,  in which case the remaining
directors may fill the vacancies so created.

     Accordingly,  at the Meeting,  one director  will be elected to serve until
the Fund's  2000  annual  meeting of  stockholders  and until his  successor  is
elected and qualified.  It is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed
form of Proxy to vote in favor of the  election  of Mr.  Mooney as  nominee  for
director.  The nominee is currently a member of the Board of Directors,  and has
consented  to serve as a director,  if elected.  The Board of  Directors  has no
reason to believe  that the nominee  will become  unavailable  for election as a
director, but if that should occur before the Meeting, the Proxies will be voted
for such other nominee as the Board of Directors may recommend.

     None of the directors is related to one another.  The following  tables set
forth certain  information  regarding each of the directors of the Fund.  Unless
otherwise noted,  each of the directors has engaged in the principal  occupation
listed in the following table for five years or more.


                                       2
<PAGE>



                          INFORMATION REGARDING NOMINEE
                       FOR ELECTION AT 1997 ANNUAL MEETING
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     SHARES OF
                                                                                                                   COMMON STOCK
                                 NAME, AGE, BUSINESS EXPERIENCE                                                      OWNED ON
                       DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS              POSITION WITH THE FUND     JUNE 13, 1997(a)
                           -------------------------------------------                  --------------------     ----------------

CLASS III (TERM EXPIRING IN 2000, IF ELECTED)

<S>                                                                                          <C>                       <C>
Thomas T. Mooney  (55),  President  of the Greater  Rochester  Metro  Chamber of             Director                  2,569
     Commerce; former Rochester City Manager; Trustee of Center for Governmental
     Research,  Inc.;  Director of Blue Cross of Rochester,  Monroe County Water
     Authority,  Rochester  Jobs,  Inc.,  Executive  Service Corps of Rochester,
     Monroe  County  Industrial  Development   Corporation,   Northeast  Midwest
     Institute,  The Business  Council of New York State,  Global  Utility Fund,
     Inc.,  Prudential Distressed Securities Fund, Inc., Prudential Equity Fund,
     Inc.,  Prudential  Global  Genesis Fund,  Inc.,  Prudential  Global Natural
     Resources,  Inc.,  Prudential  Government  Income  Fund,  Inc.,  Prudential
     Mortgage Income Fund,  Inc.,  Prudential  Multi-Sector  Fund,  Inc.,  First
     Financial Fund, Inc., The Global Government Plus Fund, Inc., and The Global
     Total Return Fund, Inc., Trustee of Prudential  Allocation Fund, Prudential
     California  Municipal  Fund,  Prudential  Equity  Income  Fund,  Prudential
     Municipal  Bond  Fund,  Prudential  Municipal  Series  Fund and The  Target
     Portfolio Trust.


                         INFORMATION REGARDING DIRECTORS
                          WHOSE CURRENT TERMS CONTINUE
                                                                                                                      SHARES OF
                                                                                                                     COMMON STOCK
                                 NAME, AGE, BUSINESS EXPERIENCE                                                        OWNED ON
                       DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS               POSITION WITH THE FUND     JUNE 13, 1997(a)
                           -------------------------------------------                   --------------------      ----------------

CLASS II (TERM EXPIRING IN 1998)

<S>                                                                                      <C>                              <C>   
*Douglas H. McCorkindale (58), Vice Chairman,  Gannett Co. Inc.  (publishing and         President, Treasurer             0
     media)  (since  March  1984);   Director  of  Gannett  Co.  Inc.,  Frontier             and Director
     Corporation,  Continental  Airlines,  Inc.,  Mutual Insurance Company Ltd.,
     Global  Utility  Fund,  Inc.,   First  Financial  Fund,  Inc.,   Prudential
     Distressed   Securities,   Inc.,  Prudential  Global  Genesis  Fund,  Inc.,
     Prudential Global Natural Resources,  Inc.,  Prudential  Multi-Sector Fund,
     Inc.  and The Global  Government  Plus Fund,  Inc.;  Trustee of  Prudential
     Allocation Fund,  Prudential Equity Income Fund,  Prudential Municipal Bond
     Fund and The Target Portfolio Trust.

</TABLE>

                                       3
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                                                                       SHARES OF
                                                                                                                     COMMON STOCK
                                 NAME, AGE, BUSINESS EXPERIENCE                                                        OWNED ON
                       DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS               POSITION WITH THE FUND     JUNE 13, 1997(a)
                           -------------------------------------------                   --------------------      ----------------

CLASS I (TERM EXPIRING IN 1998)

<S>                                                                                            <C>                        <C>   
Eugene C. Dorsey (70), Retired President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of               Director                   0
     the Gannett  Foundation  (now  Freedom  Forum);  former  Publisher  of four
     Gannett  newspapers and Vice President of Gannett  Company;  past Chairman,
     Independent Sector,  Washington,  D.C. (national coalition of philanthropic
     organizations);  former  Chairman  of the  American  Council  for the Arts;
     Director  of the  Advisory  Board of  Chase  Manhattan  Bank of  Rochester;
     Director  of  First  Financial  Fund,  Inc.,  Global  Utility  Fund,  Inc.,
     Prudential  Diversified  Bond Fund,  Inc.,  Prudential  Equity Fund,  Inc.,
     Prudential  Europe Growth Fund, Inc.,  Prudential  Institutional  Liquidity
     Portfolio, Inc., Prudential Jennison Fund, Inc., Prudential Mortgage Income
     Fund, Inc.,  Trustee of Prudential  California  Municipal Fund,  Prudential
     Municipal Series Fund and The Target Portfolio Trust.

</TABLE>

*    Indicates  "interested  person" of the Fund as  defined  in the  Investment
     Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). Mr. McCorkindale is deemed to
     be an  "interested  person"  by reason of his  service as an officer of the
     Fund.

(a)  For this  purpose,  "beneficial  ownership"  is defined in the  regulations
     under  Section  13(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended
     ("1934  Act").  The  information  is based on  statements  furnished by the
     Administrator and the nominee.

     The  directors  and  officers of the Fund as a group (five  persons)  owned
beneficially  less than 1% of the outstanding  shares of the Fund as of June 13,
1997. This includes shares shown with respect to current directors in the tables
above.

     Under  Section  16(a) of the 1934  Act,  Section  30(f) of the 1940 Act and
Securities and Exchange  Commission ("SEC") regulations  thereunder,  the Fund's
officers and directors,  persons owning more than 10% of the Fund's common stock
and certain  officers and partners of Wellington  Management  Company,  LLP, the
Fund's investment adviser ("Investment  Adviser"),  are required to report their
transactions  in the Fund's common stock to the SEC, New York Stock Exchange and
the Fund.  Based  solely on the  Fund's  review  of the  copies of such  reports
received by it, the Fund believes  that,  during its fiscal year ended March 31,
1997,  all filing  requirements  applicable to such persons were complied  with,
except that two reports were filed late on behalf of Douglas McCorkindale.  Both
reports were  required due solely to Mr.  McCorkindale's  election as a director
and an officer of the Fund, and not due to any transactions in the Fund's common
stock.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
       The Board of Directors met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended
March 31, 1997, and each director  during the time he or she served  attended at
least 75% of the total  number of meetings of the Board and of any  committee of
which he or she was a member.  The  Board of  Directors  has an Audit  Committee
currently composed of Messrs. Dorsey, McCorkindale, and Mooney. Mr. McCorkindale
is deemed to be an  "interested  person" of the Fund because he is an officer of
the Fund. The Audit Committee  reviews with the independent  public  accountants

                                       4
<PAGE>

the plan and  results  of the audit  engagement  and  matters  having a material
effect  upon the Fund's  financial  operations.  The Audit  Committee  met twice
during the fiscal year ended March 31,  1997.  The Board of  Directors  does not
have a standing nominating or compensation committee.


OFFICERS OF THE FUND.

     The  officers  of the Fund,  other  than as shown  above who also  serve as
directors, are:

     Arthur J. Brown (age  48)--Secretary;  Partner,  Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP
(law  firm).  Kirkpatrick  &  Lockhart  LLP serves as counsel to the Fund and to
Wellington Management Company, LLP on certain matters.

     Stephanie A. Djinis (age 33)--Assistant Secretary;  Partner,  Kirkpatrick &
Lockhart LLP.

     Mr.  Brown has held  office  since  February 3, 1988.  Ms.  Djinis has held
office since February 14, 1990. The officers of the Fund are elected annually by
the Board of  Directors  at its next  meeting  following  the annual  meeting of
stockholders.


COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS.
     The table below includes certain  information  relating to the compensation
of the Fund's  directors  paid by the Fund for the fiscal  year ended  March 31,
1997 as well as information  regarding  compensation from the "Fund Complex," as
defined  below,  for the calendar  year ended  December 31, 1996.  No additional
compensation is paid to Board members for serving on committees or for attending
meetings.  Board members are reimbursed  for any expenses  incurred in attending
meetings and for other  incidental  expenses.  Annual Board fees may be reviewed
periodically and changed by each Fund's Board.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         COMPENSATION TABLE
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                     PENSION OR                                        TOTAL
                                                                     RETIREMENT                                    COMPENSATION
                                                                      BENEFITS                ESTIMATED              FROM THE
                                                                     ACCRUED AS                ANNUAL                FUND AND
                                         AGGREGATE                   PART OF THE              BENEFITS               THE FUND
                                       COMPENSATION                    FUND'S                   UPON               COMPLEX PAID
  NAME OF DIRECTOR                     FROM THE FUND                  EXPENSES               RETIREMENT            TO DIRECTORS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                       <C>                            <C>                     <C>                 <C>        
  Eugene C. Dorsey+                       $7,000                         N/A                     N/A                 $22,000(3)*
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Douglas H. McCorkindale                 $1,500                         N/A                     N/A                  1,000(2)*
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Thomas T. Mooney                        $5,500                         N/A                     N/A                 19,500(3)*
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

*  Parenthetical  indicates  number  of Funds  (including  the Fund) in the Fund
   Complex,   comprised  of  four  investment  companies,   to  which  aggregate
   compensation relates.

+  All  compensation  from the Fund and Fund Complex for the calendar year ended
   December 31, 1996  represents  deferred  compensation.  Mr.  Dorsey  received
   aggregate  compensation  for that period from the Fund and the Fund  Complex,
   including  accrued  interest,  in the  amounts  of  approximately  $6,074 and
   $23,952.76, respectively.


     Directors  must be  elected by a vote of the  holders of a majority  of the
shares  present  at the  Meeting  in  person or by proxy  and  entitled  to vote
thereon.

      THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE "FOR" PROPOSAL NO. 1.

                                       5
<PAGE>

                      SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
                                 PROPOSAL NO. 2
     The Board of Directors, including a majority of those directors who are not
interested  persons (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the
Investment Adviser ("Independent  Directors"),  selected Price Waterhouse LLP to
continue to serve as the  independent  accountants  for the Fund for the current
fiscal  year,  ending  March  31,  1998.  Such  appointment  is now  subject  to
ratification or rejection by stockholders of the Fund. In addition,  as required
by the 1940 Act,  the vote of the Board of  Directors is subject to the right of
the Fund, by the vote of a majority of its outstanding  voting  securities,  (as
such term is  defined  in the 1940 Act) to  terminate  such  engagement  without
penalty at any meeting called for the purposes of voting thereon.

     Price   Waterhouse   LLP  currently   serves  as  the  Fund's   independent
accountants, and has audited the Fund's financial statements for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 1997. Prior thereto,  Deloitte & Touche LLP served as the Fund's
independent  accountants.  On February 18, 1997,  the Fund's Board of Directors,
acting  upon  the  recommendation  of  its  Audit  Committee,   appointed  Price
Waterhouse  LLP to serve as  independent  accountants  to the Fund,  to  succeed
Deloitte & Touche LLP. These actions were not taken because of any  disagreement
between the Fund and Deloitte & Touche LLP. The reports of Deloitte & Touche LLP
on the Fund's financial statements for the fiscal years ended March 31, 1995 and
1996  did  not  contain  adverse   opinions,   disclaimers,   qualifications  or
modifications  of opinion.  Deloitte & Touche LLP did not  disagree  during such
fiscal years or the subsequent  interim period prior to its resignation,  on any
matter of accounting  principles or practices,  financial statement  disclosure,
auditing  scope  or  procedure,  which  disagreements,  if not  resolved  to its
satisfaction,  would have caused it to make  reference to the subject  matter of
the disagreements in connection with its reports on those financial  statements.
The Fund is not aware of any  "reportable  events,"  as that term is used in the
federal  securities laws,  during its fiscal years ended March 31, 1995 and 1996
or the subsequent interim period.

     Price  Waterhouse LLP has informed the Fund that it has no material  direct
or  indirect  financial  interest  in  the  Fund.  No  representative  of  Price
Waterhouse  LLP is expected to be present at the  Meeting.  The Audit  Committee
will review and approve services provided by the independen accountants prior to
their being rendered,  and will report to the Board of Directors  concerning all
such services after they have been performed.

     An affirmative  vote of a majority of the shares  present,  in person or by
proxy, at the Meeting is required for ratification.

      THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE "FOR" PROPOSAL NO. 2.
                                  OTHER MATTERS
     No business,  other than as set forth above, is expected to come before the
Meeting. Should any other matters requiring a vote of stockholders properly come
before the Meeting, the persons named in the enclosed Proxy will vote thereon in
accordance with their best judgment in the interests of the Fund.

                       WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLP
       Wellington   Management   Company,   LLP,   75  State   Street,   Boston,
Massachusetts 02109, is the Fund's Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser is
a Massachusetts limited liability partnership of which the following persons are
managing  partners:  Robert M. Doran,  Duncan M. McFarland and John R. Ryan. The
Investment Adviser is a professional  investment  counseling firm which provides
investment services to investment companies,  employee benefit plans,  endowment
funds, foundations and other institutions and individuals.  As of March 31,1997,
the   Investment   Adviser  held   discretionary   investment   authority   over
approximately $136 billion of assets. The Investment Adviser and its predecessor
organizations have provided investment advisory services to investment companies
since 1933 and to  investment  counseling  clients  since 1960.  The  Investment
Adviser is not affiliated with the  Administrator.  Prudential  Investments Fund
Management  LLC, the Fund's  Administrator,  is located at Gateway Center Three,
100 Mulberry Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.

                                       6
<PAGE>

                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
     If a stockholder intends to present a proposal at the Fund's annual meeting
of stockholders in 1998 and desires to have the proposal  included in the Fund's
proxy statement and form of proxy for that meeting, the stockholder must deliver
the proposal to the offices of the Fund at Gateway  Center  Three,  100 Mulberry
Street,  Newark, New Jersey 071027 by March 8, 1998.  Stockholder proposals that
are submitted in a timely manner will not  necessarily be included in the Fund's
proxy  materials.  Inclusion of such proposal is subject to limitation under the
federal securities laws.


     NOTICE TO BANKS, BROKER-DEALERS AND VOTING TRUSTEES AND THEIR NOMINEES
     Please  advise the Fund,  at Gateway  Center  Three,  100 Mulberry  Street,
Newark, New Jersey 07102,  whether other persons are beneficial owners of shares
for which  Proxies  are being  solicited  and if so, the number of copies of the
Proxy  Statement you wish to receive in order to supply copies to the beneficial
owners of shares.

                                        By Order of the Board of Directors,




                                         /s/Arthur J. Brown
                                         ARTHUR J. BROWN
                                           SECRETARY

Dated: July 2, 1997


                                       7


<PAGE>


- -------------------------------------
THE HIGH YIELD PLUS FUND, INC.

                                      ===================================
                                                   THE HIGH
                                                 YIELD PLUS
                                              FUND, INC.


                                      NOTICE OF
                                      ANNUAL MEETING
                                      TO BE HELD ON
                                      AUGUST 26, 1997
                                      AND
                                      PROXY STATEMENT


PROXY
STATEMENT


<PAGE>

                                     PROXY

                         THE HIGH YIELD PLUS FUND, INC.
                              Gateway Center Three
                              100 Mulberry Street
                         Newark, New Jersey 07102-4077


          This proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors

The undersigned  hereby appoints Douglas H.  McCorkindale and Arthur J. Brown as
Proxies, each with the power of substitution, and hereby authorizes each of them
to represent and to vote,  as  designated on the reverse side of this card,  all
the shares of common stock of The High Yield Plus Fund,  Inc.  (the "Fund") held
of record on June 13, 1997 at the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  to be held on
August 26, 1997, or any adjournment thereof.


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    PLEASE VOTE, DATE AND SIGN ON REVERSE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
                                   ENVELOPE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED?               DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS?

- ------------------------------------       -------------------------------------

- ------------------------------------       -------------------------------------

- ------------------------------------       -------------------------------------

<PAGE>



- ---  PLEASE MARK VOTES
 X   AS IN THIS EXAMPLE
- ---                                  The Board of Directors recommends a vote
- -------------------------------       "FOR" the nominee and "FOR" each of the
THE HIGH YIELD PLUS FUND., INC.                following Proposals:
- -------------------------------
                                     1. ELECTION OF DIRECTOR      FOR   WITHHELD
                                        Nominee:                  ---     ---
This Proxy, when properly executed,           Thomas T. Mooney    ---     ---
will be voted in the manner directed
by the undersigned shareholder.  If
no direction is made, this proxy will
be voted FOR Proposals 1, 2 and 3.

                                                            FOR  AGAINST ABSTAIN
                                     2. To ratify the       ---    ---     ---
                                        selection of Price  ---    ---     ---
                                        Waterhouse LLP as
                                        independent public
                                        accountants for the
                                        fiscal year ending
                                        March 31, 1998.



                                                           FOR  AGAINST ABSTAIN
                                     2. To consider and     ---    ---     ---
                                        act upon such       ---    ---     ---
                                        other business as
                                        may properly come
                                        before the meeting
                                        and any adjournments
                                        thereof.




Please be sure to sign  ------------
and date this Proxy.     Date           Mark box at right if an addres     ---
- ------------------------------------    change on comment has been noted
                                        on the reverse side of this card.  ---
- ---Stockholder sign here------------

- ---Co-owner sign here---------------    RECORD DATE SHARES:


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission