SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


                                   FORM 8-K


                                CURRENT REPORT
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


        Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) March 1, 1999


                     E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
            (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


            Delaware                   1-815              51-0014090
    (State or Other Jurisdiction     (Commission       (I.R.S Employer
         of Incorporation)           File Number)     Identification No.)


                              1007 Market Street
                          Wilmington, Delaware  19898
                   (Address of principal executive offices)


      Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (302) 774-1000



                                                                             











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Item 5.  Other Events
         ------------

        In connection with Debt and/or Equity Securities that may be offered 
on a delayed or continuous basis under Registration Statements on Form S-8 
(No. 33-53327, No. 33-61339 and No. 33-60069), we hereby file the following 
press release.


                                             Contacts:  Terrence Q. Cressy
                                                        (United States)
                                                        (248) 583-8102

                                                        Ralf Peter Thomas
                                                        (Germany)
                                                        (011) 49-6172-87-1270


        DUPONT ANNOUNCES THE COMPLETION OF ITS ACQUISITION OF HERBERTS


        WILMINGTON, Del., March 1 -- DuPont today announced the completion of 
its acquisition of Herberts, the coatings subsidiary of Hoechst AG.  Terms of 
the acquisition remain unchanged from the preliminary agreement last October:  
a stock purchase with payment at closing of approximately USD 1.9 billion 
(DM 3.1 billion).

        The combined business, to be known as DuPont Performance Coatings, 
will have annual sales of more than $3.8 billion, making DuPont the world's 
largest supplier of automotive coatings and the third largest coatings 
company, overall.  The impact of the acquisition on DuPont's earnings per 
share is projected to be essentially neutral for 1999, and will generate 
significant shareholder value thereafter.

        "We are extremely pleased by the talent, complementary technology, 
market positions and regional customer service capabilities we've already seen 
in the Herberts organization," said Louis F. Savelli, 63, who has been named 
president, DuPont Performance Coatings.  "With such an excellent fit, we will 
create a significantly improved global business with strong growth and 
earnings potential," he said.

        Executive management appointments will be balanced by region from both 
the DuPont and Herberts organizations, and include the naming of two vice 
president and general managers:

     o  Edward J. Donnelly, 53, formerly DuPont director of planning, is named 
        vice president and general manager - Americas, with global respon- 
        sibility for the DuPont Refinish and Liquid Industrial Coatings 
        business;






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     o  John (Jack) R. Lewis, 55, formerly DuPont vice president - automotive 
        OEM finishes, becomes vice president and general manager - Europe and 
        Asia, with global responsibility for the newly named divisions, DuPont 
        Herberts Automotive Systems (automotive OEM coatings) and DuPont 
        Powder Coatings.

        Founded in 1802, DuPont is a global research and technology-based 
company.  DuPont serves worldwide markets including food and nutrition, health 
care; agriculture, fashion and apparel; home and construction; electronics; 
and transportation.  The company operates in more than 70 countries and has 
92,000 employees.

        Forward-Looking Statements:  This news release contains forward- 
looking statements based on management's current expectations, estimates and 
projections.  All statements that address expectations or projections about 
the future, including statements about the company's strategy for growth, 
product development, market position, expected expenditures, financial results 
are forward-looking statements.  Some of the forward-looking statements may be 
identified by words like "expects," anticipates," "plans," "intends," 
"projects," "indicates," and similar expressions.  These statements are not 
guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties 
and assumptions.  Many factors, including these discussed more fully elsewhere 
in this release and in DuPont's filings with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission, particularly its Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 13, 
1998 as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those 
stated.  These factors include, but are not limited to changes in the laws, 
regulations, policies and economic conditions of countries in which the 
company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of 
structural changes, including acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; 
failure of the company or related third parties to become Year 2000 capable; 
research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and 
market acceptance.

                                      ###

3/1/99







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                                  SIGNATURE



          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.





                                 E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
                                             (Registrant)




                                           /s/ D. B. Smith
                                 ------------------------------------
                                             D. B. Smith
                                         Assistant Controller




March 1, 1999









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