<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 12/31/96
000 C000000 0000872604
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 THE BLACKROCK 1998 TERM TRUST INC.
001 B000000 811-6284
001 C000000 2013677530
002 A000000 GC3 100 MULBERRY STREET, 9TH FLOOR
002 B000000 NEWARK
002 C000000 NJ
002 D010000 07102
002 D020000 4077
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
008 A000001 BLACKROCK FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-32183
008 D010001 NEW YORK
008 D020001 NY
008 D030001 10154
010 A000001 PRUDENTIAL MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
010 B000001 811-31104
010 C010001 NEWARK
010 C020001 NJ
010 C030001 07102
010 C040001 4077
011 A000001 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
011 B000001 8-27154
011 C010001 NEW YORK
011 C020001 NY
011 C030001 10292
011 A000002 DELETE
<PAGE> PAGE 2
011 A000003 PAINEWEBBER INC.
011 B000003 8-16267
011 C010003 NEW YORK
011 C020003 NY
011 C030003 10019
011 A000004 MORGAN KEEGAN & CO. INC.
011 B000004 8-15001
011 C010004 MEMPHIS
011 C020004 TN
011 C030004 38103
011 A000005 ADVEST, INC.
011 B000005 8-21409
011 C010005 HARTFORD
011 C020005 CT
011 C030005 06103
011 A000006 GRUNTAL & CO., INCORPORATED
011 B000006 8-31022
011 C010006 NEW YORK
011 C020006 NY
011 C030006 10005
011 A000007 CROWELL WEEDON & CO.
011 B000007 8-3710
011 C010007 LOS ANGELES
011 C020007 CA
011 C030007 90017
012 A000001 STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY
012 B000001 84-0000000
012 C010001 NORTH QUINCY
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02171
013 A000001 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B010001 NEW YORK
013 B020001 NY
013 B030001 10281
013 B040001 1434
014 A000001 DELETE
015 A000001 STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 NORTH QUINCY
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02171
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 21
019 C000000 BLACKROCK.
020 A000001 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
020 B000001 13-5674085
020 C000001 3
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
<PAGE> PAGE 3
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 3
022 A000001 NIKKO SECURITIES CO. INTERNATIONAL, INC.
022 B000001 94-1302123
022 C000001 2039952
022 D000001 218946
022 A000002 SMITH BARNEY INC.
022 B000002 13-1912900
022 C000002 203352
022 D000002 227347
022 A000003 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
022 B000003 13-2518466
022 C000003 287037
022 D000003 138030
022 A000004 SALOMON BROTHERS, INC.
022 B000004 13-3082694
022 C000004 81977
022 D000004 182575
022 A000005 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000005 22-2347336
022 C000005 130736
022 D000005 73781
022 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000006 13-5674085
022 C000006 8595
022 D000006 119671
022 A000007 ISI GROUP
022 C000007 100375
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INC.
022 B000008 13-2655998
022 C000008 51489
022 D000008 45095
022 A000009 LANSTON (AUBREY G.) & CO.
022 B000009 13-5552129
022 C000009 79451
022 D000009 11646
022 A000010 UBS SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000010 13-2932996
022 C000010 86227
022 D000010 2107
023 C000000 3564990
023 D000000 1235529
024 000000 Y
025 A000001 SALOMON BROTHERS, INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 4
025 B000001 13-3082694
025 C000001 D
025 D000001 15182
025 A000002 DELETE
025 D000002 0
025 A000003 SMITH BARNEY INC.
025 B000003 13-1912900
025 C000003 D
025 D000003 9900
025 A000004 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
025 B000004 13-2518466
025 C000004 D
025 D000004 9846
025 A000005 DELETE
025 D000005 0
025 A000006 DELETE
025 D000006 0
025 A000007 DELETE
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 N
026 C000000 N
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
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
<PAGE> PAGE 5
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 0.400
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
<PAGE> PAGE 6
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 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 N
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 0
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 -6.1
062 C000000 1.3
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 2.2
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.5
062 M000000 15.9
062 N000000 15.3
062 O000000 3.8
062 P000000 64.5
062 Q000000 33.4
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 7
063 B000000 1.2
064 A000000 N
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 Y
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 Y
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 Y
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 Y
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 Y
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 Y
070 R020000 Y
071 A000000 1871495
071 B000000 1824857
071 C000000 811679
071 D000000 225
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 37567
072 C000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 2311
072 G000000 583
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 72
072 J000000 150
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 334
072 M000000 72
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 1200
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 29
072 S000000 35
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 284
072 X000000 5070
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 32497
072AA000000 14203
072BB000000 12820
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 827
072DD010000 29332
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.5000
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 153
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 23829
074 D000000 767633
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 0
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 46585
074 M000000 47
074 N000000 838247
074 O000000 5693
074 P000000 247
074 Q000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 R010000 213466
074 R020000 35153
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 5547
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 578141
074 U010000 58661
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 9.86
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 2384
074 Y000000 246564
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 574738
076 000000 9.38
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 N
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 Y
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 N
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A000000 VIGILANT INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 16950
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 21
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 10
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 092515105
087 A030000 BBT
088 A000000 N
088 B000000 N
088 C000000 N
088 D000000 N
SIGNATURE HENRY GABBAY
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000872604
<NAME> THE BLACKROCK 1998 TERM TRUST INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 001
<NAME> THE BLACKROCK 1998 TERM TRUST INC.
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 795,043,769
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 791,462,887
<RECEIVABLES> 10,053,872
<ASSETS-OTHER> 36,730,843
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 838,247,602
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 5,693,130
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 254,413,095
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 260,106,225
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 552,914,999
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 58,660,527
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 58,660,527
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 26,211,416
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 2,181,645
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (3,166,683)
<NET-ASSETS> 578,141,377
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 37,567,667
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 5,070,205
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 32,497,462
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1,382,770
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (826,919)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 33,053,313
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (29,332,354)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 3,720,959
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 21,846,308
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 798,875
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 2,894,082
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 5,070,205
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 574,738,000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.79
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.57
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.50)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.86
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.67
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0.00
</TABLE>
For the year ended (a) December 31, 1996
File number (c) 811-6284
SUB-ITEM 77J
Reclassification Of Capital Accounts - The Trust accounts
for and reports distributions to shareholders in accordance
with the A.I.C.P.A.'s Statement of Position 93-2:
Determination, Disclosure, and Return of Capital
Distributions by Investment Companies. The effect caused by
applying this statement was to decrease paid-in capital and
increase undistributed net investment income by $1,200,000
due to certain expenses not being deductible for tax
purposes. Net investment income, net realized gains and net
assets were not affected by this change.
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of
The BlackRock 1998 Term Trust Inc.:
In planning and performing our audit of the financial
statements of The BlackRock 1998 Term Trust Inc. for the
year ended December 31, 1996 (on which we have issued our
report dated February 3, 1997), we considered its internal
control structure, including procedures for safeguarding
securities, in order to determine our auditing procedures
for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial
statements and to comply with the requirements of Form N-
SAR, not to provide assurance on the internal control
structure.
The management of The BlackRock 1998 Term Trust Inc. is
responsible for establishing and maintaining an internal
control structure. In fulfilling this responsibility,
estimates and judgments by management are required to assess
the expected benefits and related costs of internal control
structure policies and procedures. Two of the objectives of
an internal control structure are to provide management with
reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that assets are
safeguarded against loss from unauthorized use or
disposition and that transactions are executed in accordance
with management's authorization and recorded properly to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles.
Because of inherent limitations in any internal control
structure, errors or irregularities may occur and not be
detected. Also, projection of any evaluation of the
structure to future periods is subject to the risk that it
may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or
that the effectiveness of the design and operation may
deteriorate.
Our consideration of the internal control structure would
not necessarily disclose all matters in the internal control
structure that might be material weaknesses under standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. A material weakness is a condition in which
the design or operation of the specific internal control
structure elements does not reduce to a relatively low level
the risk that errors or irregularities in amounts that would
be material in relation to the financial statements being
audited may occur and not be detected within a timely period
by employees in the normal course of performing their
assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving
the internal control structure, including procedures for
safeguarding securities, that we consider to be material
weaknesses as defined above as of December 31, 1996.
This report is intended solely for the information and use
of management and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
February 3, 1997
