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                                 UNITED STATES                 | OMB APPROVAL |
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION       +--------------+
                            Washington, D.C. 20549             | OMB Number:  |
                                                               |  3235-0058   |
                                  FORM 12b-25                  |   Expires:   |
                                                               | May 31, 1997 |
                          NOTIFICATION OF LATE FILING          |   Estimated  |
                                                               |average burden|
(Check One): [X] Form 10-K  [ ] Form 20-F   [ ] Form 11-K      |   hours per  |
             [ ] Form 10-Q  [ ] Form N-SAR                     |response..2.50|
                                                               +--------------+
For Period Ended: Decebmer 31, 1997                            +--------------+
                  ---------------------------------            | SEC File No. |
                                                               |              |
                [ ] Transition Report on Form 10-K             |   1-1941     |
                [ ] Transition Report on Form 20-F             |              |
                [ ] Transition Report on Form 11-K             +--------------+
                [ ] Transition Report on Form 10-Q             +--------------+
                [ ] Transition Report on Form N-SAR            |  CUSIP No.   |
                                                               |   087509     |
For the Transition Period Ended: ____________________________  +--------------+

[ Read Instruction (on back page) Before Preparing Form. Please Print or Type  ]
   Nothing in this form shall be construed to imply that the Commission has 
                  verified any information contained herein.

If the notification relates to a portion of the filing checked above, identify 
the Item(s) to which the notification relates:

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PART I - REGISTRANT INFORMATION
Bethlehem Steel Corporation 
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Full Name of Registrant

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Former Name if Applicable 
1170 Eighth Avenue   
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Address of Principal Executive Office (Street and Number)
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18016-7699 
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City, State and Zip Code
PART II - RULES 12b-25(b) AND (c)

If the subject report could not be filed without unreasonable effort or expense 
and the registrant seeks relief pursuant to Rule 12b-25(b), the following should
be completed. (Check box if appropriate)

[X] | (a)  The reasons described in reasonable detail in Part III of this form 
    |      could not be eliminated without unreasonable effort or expense;
    | (b)  The subject annual report, semi-annual report, transition report on
    |      Form 10-K, Form 20-F, 11-K or Form N-SAR, or portion thereof, will be
    |      filed on or before the fifteenth calendar day following the
[X] |      prescribed due date; or the subject quarterly report of transition
    |      report on Form 10-Q, or portion thereof will be filed on or before
    |      the fifth calendar day following the prescribed due date; and
    | (c)  The accountant's statement or other exhibit required by Rule 
    |      12b-25(c) has been attached if applicable. 

PART III - NARRATIVE

State below in reasonable detail the reasons why Forms 10-K, 20-F, 11-K, 10-Q, 
N-SAR, or the transition report or portion thereof, could not be filed within 
the prescribed time period.
                                               (Attach Extra Sheets if Needed)

   Bethlehem Steel Corporation ("Bethlehem") received from the staff of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on March 25, 1998 comments
with regard to a draft of Bethlehem's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year 
ended December 31, 1997. The draft was filed confidentially with the Commission 
in connection with Lukens Inc.'s preliminary proxy materials relating to the 
previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 15, 
1997, as amended as of January 4, 1998, among Bethlehem, Lukens Acquisition 
Corporation and Lukens Inc. Because Bethlehem is currently in the process of 
responding to the staff's comments on the draft Form 10-K, it will be unable to 
timely file its Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 1997 without 
unreasonble effort or expense.

PART IV - OTHER INFORMATION

(1)  Name and telephone number of person to contact in regard to this 
     notification.
     Charles W. Campbell Jr.             610                   694-3745
     ----------------------------    --------------    -------------------------
               (Name)                 (Area Code)         (Telephone Number)

(2)  Have all other periodic reports required under Section 13 or 15(d) of 
     the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30 of the Investment Company
     Act of 1940 during the preceding 12 months or for such shorter period that
     the registrant was required to file such report(s) been filed? If answer is
     no, identify report(s).                                [X] Yes [ ] No
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(3)  Is it anticipated that any significant changes in results of operations
     from the corresponding period for the last fiscal year will be reflected by
     the earnings statements to be included in the subject report or portion
     thereof?                                               [X] Yes  [ ] No

     If so, attach an explanation of the anticipated change, both narratively
     and quantitatively, and, if appropriate, state the reasons why a reasonable
     estimate of the results cannot be made.
================================================================================
  As disclosed in Bethlehem's 1997 Annual Report to Stockholders, net income for
1997 was $281 million, or $2.13 per common share, compared with a net loss of
$309 million, or $3.15 per common share, for 1996. Results for 1997 include an
after-tax gain of $113 million related to the sale of Bethlehem's equity
interest in Iron Ore Company of Canada, and results for 1996 include after-tax
restructuring charges of $382 million.

                          Bethlehem Steel Corporation
          -----------------------------------------------------------
                 (Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

has caused this notification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned 
hereunto duly authorized.

Date  March 31, 1998                   By    Lonnie A. Arnett        
    ------------------------------        --------------------------------------
                                             Vice President and Controller

INSTRUCTION:  The form may be signed by an executive officer of the registrant 
or by any other duly authorized representative.  The name and title of the 
person signing the form shall be typed or printed beneath the signature.  If the
statement is signed on behalf of the registrant by an authorized representative 
(other than an executive officer), evidence of the representative's authority to
sign on behalf of the registrant shall be filed with the form.

+----------------------------------ATTENTION-----------------------------------+
|                INTENTIONAL MISSTATEMENTS OR OMISSIONS OF FACT                |
|         CONSTITUTE FEDERAL CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS (SEE 18 U.S.C. 1001).         |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                             GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1.  This form is required by Rule 12b-25 (17 CFR 240.12b-25) of the General 
    Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

2.  One signed original and four conformed copies of this form and amendments
    thereto must be completed and filed with the Securities and Exchange
    Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549, in accordance with Rule 0-3 of the
    General Rules and Regulations under the Act. The information contained in or
    filed with the form will be made a matter of public record in the Commission
    files.

3.  A manually signed copy of the form and amendments thereto shall be filed
    with each national securities exchange on which any class of securities of
    the registrant is registered.

4.  Amendments to the notifications must also be filed on form 12b-25 but need 
    not restate information that has been correctly furnished.  The form shall 
    be clearly identified as an amended notification.
 
5.  Electronic Filers.  This form shall not be used by electronic filers unable 
    to timely file a report solely due to electronic difficulties.  Filers
    unable to submit a report within the time period prescribed due to
    difficulties in electronic filing should comply with either Rule 201 or
    Rule 202 of Regulation S-T ((S)232.201 or (S)232.202 of this chapter) or
    apply for an adjustment in filing date pursuant to Rule 13(b) of Regulation
    S-T ((S)232.13(b) of this chapter).