<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 05/31/98
000 C000000 0000843287
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 FRANKLIN PRINCIPAL MATURITY TRUST
001 B000000 811-5699
001 C000000 6503122000
002 A000000 777 MARINERS ISLAND BOULEVARD
002 B000000 SAN MATEO
002 C000000 CA
002 D010000 94404
002 D020000 1585
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
007 C011100 11
007 C011200 12
007 C011300 13
007 C011400 14
007 C011500 15
007 C011600 16
007 C011700 17
007 C011800 18
007 C011900 19
007 C012000 20
007 C012100 21
007 C012200 22
007 C012300 23
007 C012400 24
007 C012500 25
007 C012600 26
007 C012700 27
007 C012800 28
<PAGE> PAGE 2
007 C012900 29
007 C013000 30
007 C013100 31
007 C013200 32
007 C013300 33
007 C013400 34
007 C013500 35
007 C013600 36
007 C013700 37
007 C013800 38
007 C013900 39
007 C014000 40
008 A000001 FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-26292
008 D010001 SAN MATEO
008 D020001 CA
008 D030001 94404
008 D040001 1585
010 A000001 FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SERVICES, INC.
010 C010001 SAN MATEO
010 C020001 CA
010 C030001 94404
010 C040001 1585
011 A000001 PAINE WEBBER INCORPORATED
011 B000001 8-00000000
011 C010001 NEW YORK
011 C020001 NY
011 C030001 10019
012 A000001 FIRST DATA INVESTOR SERVICES GROUP
012 B000001 84-1761
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
013 A000001 PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS LLP
013 B010001 SAN FRANCISCO
013 B020001 CA
013 B030001 94105
013 B040001 2119
015 A000001 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 NEW YORK
015 C020001 NY
015 C030001 10286
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 BANKBOSTON, N.A.
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 BUENOS AIRES
015 D010002 ARGENTINA
015 E040002 X
015 A000003 NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED
<PAGE> PAGE 3
015 B000003 S
015 C010003 MELBOURNE
015 D010003 AUSTRALIA
015 E040003 X
015 A000004 CREDITANSTALT BANKVEREIN
015 B000004 S
015 C010004 VIENNA
015 D010004 AUSTRIA
015 E040004 X
015 A000005 BANQUE BRUXELLES LAMBERT (BBL)
015 B000005 S
015 C010005 BRUSSELS
015 D010005 BELGIUM
015 E040005 X
015 A000006 ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
015 B000006 S
015 C010006 MONTREAL
015 D010006 CANADA
015 E040006 X
015 A000007 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, HONG KONG
015 B000007 S
015 C010007 SHANGHAI
015 D010007 CHINA
015 E040007 X
015 A000008 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, HONG KONG
015 B000008 S
015 C010008 SHENZHEN
015 D010008 CHINA
015 E040008 X
015 A000009 DEN DANSKE BANK
015 B000009 S
015 C010009 COPENHAGEN
015 D010009 DENMARK
015 E040009 X
015 A000010 FIRST CHICAGO
015 B000010 S
015 C010010 LONDON
015 D010010 EURO CDS
015 E040010 X
015 A000011 CEDEL BANK, S.A.
015 B000011 S
015 C010011 LUXEMBOURG CITY
015 D010011 EUROBONDS
015 E040011 X
015 A000012 EUROCLEAR
015 B000012 S
015 C010012 BRUSSELS
015 D010012 EUROBONDS
015 E040012 X
015 A000013 MERITA BANK PLC
015 B000013 S
<PAGE> PAGE 4
015 C010013 HELSINKI
015 D010013 FINLAND
015 E040013 X
015 A000014 BANQUE PARIBAS
015 B000014 S
015 C010014 PARIS
015 D010014 FRANCE
015 E040014 X
015 A000015 DRESDNER BANK AG
015 B000015 S
015 C010015 FRANKFURT/MAIN
015 D010015 GERMANY
015 E040015 X
015 A000016 HONGKONG AND SHANGAI BANKING CORPORATION
015 B000016 S
015 C010016 HONG KONG
015 D010016 HONG KONG
015 E040016 X
015 A000017 HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION
015 B000017 S
015 C010017 JAKARTA
015 D010017 INDONESIA
015 E040017 X
015 A000018 ALLIED IRISH BANKS, PLC (AIB)
015 B000018 S
015 C010018 DUBLIN
015 D010018 IRELAND
015 E040018 X
015 A000019 BANK OF TOKYO MITSUBISHI (BTM)
015 B000019 S
015 C010019 TOKYO
015 D010019 JAPAN
015 E040019 X
015 A000020 BANQUE INTERNATIONALE A LUXEMBOURG
015 B000020 S
015 C010020 LUXEMBOURG CITY
015 D010020 LUXEMBOURG
015 E040020 X
015 A000021 HONGKONG BANK MALAYSIA BERHAD (HBMB)
015 B000021 S
015 C010021 KUALA LUMPUR
015 D010021 MALAYSIA
015 E040021 X
015 A000022 BANCO NACIONAL DE MEXICO
015 B000022 S
015 C010022 MEXICO CITY
015 D010022 MEXICO
015 E040022 X
015 A000023 MEES PIERSON N.V.
015 B000023 S
015 C010023 AMSTERDAM
<PAGE> PAGE 5
015 D010023 NETHERLANDS
015 E040023 X
015 A000024 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LTD
015 B000024 S
015 C010024 WELLINGTON
015 D010024 NEW ZEALAND
015 E040024 X
015 A000025 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK (SCB)
015 B000025 S
015 C010025 KARACHI
015 D010025 PAKISTAN
015 E040025 X
015 A000026 HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION
015 B000026 S
015 C010026 PASIG CITY MANILA
015 D010026 PHILIPPINES
015 E040026 X
015 A000027 BANCO COMERCIAL PORTUGUES, S.A. (BCP)
015 B000027 S
015 C010027 LISBON
015 D010027 PORTUGAL
015 E040027 X
015 A000028 UNITED OVERSEAS BANK LIMITED (UOB)
015 B000028 S
015 C010028 SINGAPORE
015 D010028 SINGAPORE
015 E040028 X
015 A000029 STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED
015 B000029 S
015 C010029 JOHANNESBURG
015 D010029 SOUTH AFRICA
015 E040029 X
015 A000030 BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA (BBV)
015 B000030 S
015 C010030 MADRID
015 D010030 SPAIN
015 E040030 X
015 A000031 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK (SCB)
015 B000031 S
015 C010031 COLOMBO
015 D010031 SRI LANKA
015 E040031 X
015 A000032 SKANDINAVISKA ENSKILDA BANKEN (SEB)
015 B000032 S
015 C010032 STOCKHOLM
015 D010032 SWEDEN
015 E040032 X
015 A000033 UNION BANK OF SWITZERLAND
015 B000033 S
015 C010033 ZURICH
015 D010033 SWITZERLAND
<PAGE> PAGE 6
015 E040033 X
015 A000034 SIAM COMMERCIAL BANK PUBLIC COMPANY LTD
015 B000034 S
015 C010034 BANGKOK
015 D010034 THAILAND
015 E040034 X
015 A000035 OSMANLI BANKASI A.S. (OTTOMAN BANK)
015 B000035 S
015 C010035 ISTANBUL
015 D010035 TURKEY
015 E040035 X
015 A000036 BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000036 S
015 C010036 LONDON
015 D010036 UNITED KINGDOM
015 E040036 X
015 A000037 STANBIC BANK ZAMBIA LIMITED (STANBIC)
015 B000037 S
015 C010037 LUSAKA
015 D010037 ZAMBIA
015 E040037 X
015 A000038 STANBIC BANK ZIMBABWE LIMITED (STANBIC)
015 B000038 S
015 C010038 HARARE
015 D010038 ZIMBABWE
015 E040038 X
015 A000039 DELETE
015 A000040 DELETE
015 A000041 DELETE
015 A000042 DELETE
015 A000043 DELETE
015 A000044 DELETE
015 A000045 DELETE
015 A000046 DELETE
015 A000047 DELETE
015 A000048 DELETE
015 A000049 DELETE
015 A000050 DELETE
015 A000051 DELETE
015 A000052 DELETE
015 A000053 DELETE
015 A000054 DELETE
015 A000055 DELETE
015 A000056 DELETE
015 A000057 DELETE
015 A000058 DELETE
015 A000059 DELETE
015 A000060 DELETE
015 A000061 DELETE
015 A000062 DELETE
015 A000063 DELETE
<PAGE> PAGE 7
015 A000064 DELETE
015 A000065 DELETE
015 A000066 DELETE
015 A000067 DELETE
015 A000068 DELETE
015 A000069 DELETE
015 A000070 DELETE
015 A000071 DELETE
015 A000072 DELETE
015 A000073 DELETE
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 219
019 C000000 FRNKTEMGRP
020 A000001 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
020 B000001 13-2518466
020 C000001 6
020 A000002 DONALDSON LUFKIN & JENRETTE
020 B000002 13-2741729
020 C000002 5
020 A000003 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000003 94-1701676
020 C000003 4
020 A000004 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO
020 B000004 13-5108880
020 C000004 3
020 A000005 PAINEWEBBER INC
020 B000005 13-2638166
020 C000005 2
020 A000006 SEIDLER COMPANIES, INC
020 B000006 95-2581813
020 C000006 2
020 A000007 MCMAHAN SECURITIES CO L.P.
020 B000007 06-1229141
020 C000007 1
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 21
022 A000001 SBCI SWISS BANK CORP INV BANK
022 B000001 13-2639550
022 C000001 380410
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 DONALDSON LUFKIN & JENRETTE
022 B000002 13-2741729
022 C000002 377777
022 D000002 1167
022 A000003 BARCLAYS DE ZOETE WEDD NY
022 B000003 13-3551367
022 C000003 369705
022 D000003 0
<PAGE> PAGE 8
022 A000004 UBS SECURITIES, L.L.C.
022 B000004 13-2932996
022 C000004 368257
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 CIBC WOOD GUNDY SECURITY
022 B000005 13-3639028
022 C000005 347182
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
022 B000006 13-2518466
022 C000006 343785
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 PARIBAS CORP.
022 B000007 13-3235334
022 C000007 341282
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 GREENWICH CAPITAL MARKETS,INC.
022 B000008 13-3122275
022 C000008 332277
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 BT ALEX BROWN
022 B000009 13-3311934
022 C000009 321368
022 D000009 4348
022 A000010 DRESDNER U.S. FINANCE, INC
022 B000010 04-2442748
022 C000010 296051
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 4363260
023 D000000 44256
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 N
028 A010000 0
028 A020000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 0
028 B010000 0
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 0
028 C010000 0
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 0
028 D010000 0
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 0
028 E010000 0
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 0
028 F010000 0
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 0
028 G010000 0
028 G020000 0
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 0
028 H000000 0
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
038 000000 0
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.450
<PAGE> PAGE 10
048 A010000 0
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 Y
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 11
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 27.2
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 31.5
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 16.1
062 Q000000 2.7
062 R000000 23.2
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 2.4
064 A000000 N
064 B000000 Y
065 000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 Y
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 12
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 Y
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 Y
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 4975
071 B000000 58813
071 C000000 173976
071 D000000 3
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 6060
072 C000000 426
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 470
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 40
072 J000000 2
072 K000000 9
072 L000000 21
072 M000000 6
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 8
072 S000000 22
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 44
072 X000000 622
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 5864
072AA000000 14106
072BB000000 1186
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 12026
072DD010000 6894
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.3400
<PAGE> PAGE 13
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 56773
074 C000000 0
074 D000000 105270
074 E000000 4708
074 F000000 43720
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 0
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 985
074 M000000 28
074 N000000 211484
074 O000000 0
074 P000000 79
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 2310
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 209095
074 U010000 20463
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 10.22
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 2214
074 Y000000 15584
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 208926
076 000000 9.88
077 A000000 Y
077 Q010000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 NONE
080 C000000 150000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 218
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 14
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
087 A010000 COMMON STOCK
087 A020000 35459D103
087 A030000 FPT US
088 A000000 N
088 B000000 N
088 C000000 N
088 D000000 N
SIGNATURE DIOMEDES LOO-TAM
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FRANKLIN
PRINCIPAL MATURITY TRUST MAY 31, 1998 SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUN-26-1998
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 132,494,136
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 153,698,056
<RECEIVABLES> 57,758,074
<ASSETS-OTHER> 28,004
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 211,484,134
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 2,388,948
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 2,388,948
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 186,574,765
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 20,462,600
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 20,462,600
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (800,730)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 2,118,956
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 21,202,195
<NET-ASSETS> 209,095,186
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 425,772
<INTEREST-INCOME> 6,059,948
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (621,534)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 5,864,186
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 12,920,069
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (12,026,484)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 6,757,771
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (6,893,852)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (136,081)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 228,936
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (10,801,113)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (470,015)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (621,534)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 208,926,185
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.230
<PER-SHARE-NII> .290
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .040
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.340)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.220
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .590
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> .000
</TABLE>
