Paul Harvey
Executive Director
Manager, U.S. Equity Trading

September 01, 1998

Jonathan G. Katz
Secretary
SEC
Mail Stop 6-9
450 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20549

Dear Mr. Katz,

We at Brinson Partners, Inc., an Asset Management subsidiary of UBS AG, would like to add our support to the Optimark petition recently filed with the SEC. This petition is seeking integration of the Optimark System within the Intermarket Trading System (ITS) with limited amendments. Specifically, volume restrictions and manual manipulation in the order loading process, as proposed by an ITS member, would hamper the intended benefits of Optimark, and be contrary to the goals of the National Market System mandated by Congress in 1975, Section 11A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

It is unfortunate that that some ITS members, i.e., other exchanges, find it necessary to hinder advances that are now possible through the use of trading systems like Optimark. The New York Stock Exchange has been a leader in technological improvements and has helped structure the existing marketplace. As a leader, the New York Stock Exchange should support any system that will encourage users to bring more liquidity to the point of sale, increasing total market liquidity for the benefit of all investors, small and large.

Today, substantial trading interest is withheld from the market because of concerns on the part of size-traders that disclosure of their true interest will cause the markets to move against them. The Optimark System will enhance liquidity and ensure the required anonymity necessary to encourage participation in our markets.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Harvey

Executive Director

Manager, U.S. Equity Trading