1
                       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):
                                November 20, 1998



                                Cabot Corporation
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                                                   
Delaware 1-5667 04-2271897 - ----------------------------- ------------------------ ----------------------------- (State or other jurisdiction) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification)
75 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109 --------------------------------------------------- (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) (617) 345-0100 ---------------------------------------------------- (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) ------------------------------- Page 1 of 87 Pages Exhibit Index Appears at Page 5 2 Item 5. OTHER EVENTS. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. Cabot Corporation (the "Company") is a defendant in various lawsuits and environmental proceedings wherein substantial amounts are claimed. The following is a description of significant proceedings pending as of November 17, 1998 in which material developments have occurred since June 30, 1998. Environmental Proceedings In 1994, the Company and the State of Florida agreed to a settlement of a 1983 state court lawsuit requiring the Company to pay the State $650,000 in past costs associated with a site in Gainesville, Florida. The Company also resolved claims of the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") for the site by paying a fine of $416,000. The site included a parcel of land on which the Company previously owned and operated a pine tar distillation plant. The Company has completed the implementation of a soil and groundwater remedy at the site in accordance with requirements of EPA and is currently operating and maintaining the groundwater collection system at the site and monitoring site conditions. Recent monitoring of the groundwater collection system revealed slightly elevated levels of certain contaminants, and the Company is evaluating whether further activity is necessary to address this condition. In November 1998, the Company completed a search for three historic water wells on the property. Oil was discovered in one well and has been removed. Cabot is currently evaluating whether the oil has had any impact on groundwater quality. Until this evaluation is completed, it is unknown whether any further action will be necessary. Cabot plans to plug and abandon the wells it located during this search. In November 1997, the Company was sued in the District Court of Potter County, Texas by K N Energy, Inc. ("KNE") and various related entities for environmental remediation costs at approximately 45 gas plants and compressor stations located in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The Company sold its subsidiaries that owned those properties in two separate transactions in 1989, and, in doing so, undertook certain contractual obligations with respect to environmental conditions at the properties. KNE alleges to be the assignee of those contract rights and, pursuant thereto, has attempted to require the Company to pay for costs KNE has incurred and will incur in the future to remediate environmental contamination alleged to be on those properties. In July 1998, an arbitration panel ordered the Company to pay $3.38 million for past response costs incurred by KNE as well as an unspecified amount for prejudgment interest and arbitration costs. KNE contends that the interest on the past cost award and costs of arbitration amount to approximately $729,000. The Company has disputed the interest and a portion of the cost figures, but has paid KNE the amount awarded for past response costs and the portion of the arbitration costs not in dispute. The panel also ordered the Company to pay up to 80% of future groundwater remediation costs at six of the sites as such costs are incurred by KNE. Finally, the panel ordered KNE to ensure that future remedial actions are cost-effective and based on health risks, with a preference for natural attenuation of contamination. The Company has appealed the panel's award of future costs. Future remediation costs are estimated to be in a range from less than $2 million to up to $8 million. The Company and KNE continue to explore settlement of this matter. 1 3 The Company is one of approximately 25 parties identified by EPA as PRPs under the Superfund law with respect to the cleanup of Fields Brook (the "Brook"), a tributary of the Ashtabula River in northeast Ohio. From 1963 to 1972, the Company owned two manufacturing facilities located beside the Brook. Pursuant to an EPA administrative order, 13 companies, including the Company, are performing the design and other preliminary work relating to remediation of sediment in the Brook and soil in the floodplain and wetlands areas adjacent to the Brook. In 1997, EPA and the companies reached agreement on the remedy for these areas, and the companies' consultants are preparing detailed design documents necessary to implement this remedy. Remedial activities are not expected to occur until at least 1999. EPA's cost recovery claims through the end of 1989 have been settled, and the companies negotiated a consent decree in mid-1998 with EPA and the Natural Resource Trustees that settles the government's claims for past costs and natural resource damages and obligates the companies to implement the agreed remedy. The Company's share of the settlement amount is approximately $585,000; the Company's estimated share of future remediation costs is approximately $5.5 million. The companies, including the Company, that have paid for work at the site are seeking to recover a share of those costs from other responsible parties. Finally, recent investigations have detected low levels of radioactive material in sediment in the Brook and EPA has been investigating that issue. EPA has informed the companies involved in the site that the presence of radioactive material will require changes to the remedy EPA previously approved for the site. It is unclear at this time what those changes will be and what the cost of any changes might be. In 1997, the Company and the other parties responding to EPA requirements at the Brook reached a conditional agreement to contribute funds to the Ashtabula River Partnership to assist the Partnership in its efforts to dredge and remediate sediments in the Ashtabula River downstream from the Brook. If the partnership is successful, this work will be conducted outside the traditional federal Superfund law process through a public-private consortium that will involve substantial public sources of funding for the work. If such sources, along with additional private funds become available, it is expected to be less expensive and easier to complete the project than it would to address the issues involving the Ashtabula River pursuant to the traditional Superfund law process. In July 1998, EPA informed the Company that it will be undertaking corrective action under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act at the Company's facility in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. A site visit by the Army Corps of Engineers to initiate this action occurred in late September. It is unclear at this time what corrective action, if any, will be required at the site and what costs the Company will incur as a result. In October 1998, the Direction Regionale de L'Industrie, de la Recherche et de L'Environment ("DRIRE") and the Prefecture de la Seine-Maratime (the "Prefecture") notified United Chemical France, S.A. ("UCF"), a French subsidiary of the Company, that DRIRE planned to seek an order (the "Proposed Order") from the Prefecture requiring UCF to undertake an initial investigation of a waste dump allegedly operated by UCF from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s in the Town of Notre Dame de Gravenchon. To date, the Prefecture has not issued the Proposed Order. When the Company purchased UCF in 1985, the seller indemnified the Company for matters relating to events occurring prior to the sale, including environmental matters. The Company has notified the seller that the Company believes that the indemnification would cover costs related to the Proposed Order if it is issued. 2 4 MEDIUM-TERM NOTES. Exhibits are filed herewith in connection with a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-64787) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") covering up to $500,000,000 of debt securities issuable under an indenture between the Company and State Street Bank and Trust, as successor trustee, dated as of December 1, 1987, as amended and supplemented by a first supplemental indenture dated as of June 17, 1992, a second supplemental indenture dated January 31, 1997, and a third supplemental indenture dated November 20, 1998. The exhibits attached hereto refer specifically to the Company's issuance and sale from time to time of medium-term notes pursuant to a prospectus supplement dated September 29, 1998 and filed with the Commission under Rule 424(b)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The terms of the Series B Medium Term Notes are described in the Company's Prospectus Supplement dated October 13, 1998 to its Prospectus dated October 13, 1998. The Series B Medium Term Notes will be offered and sold through Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and J.P. Morgan & Co. as Agents (the "Agents") pursuant to a Distribution Agreement among the Company and the Agents dated November 20, 1998. Item 7. EXHIBITS. 1 Form of Distribution Agreement. 4.1 Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 20, 1998 between Cabot Corporation and State Street Bank and Trust Company, Trustee. 4.2. Form of fixed rate Medium-Term Note (included in Exhibit 4.1). 4.3 Form of floating rate Medium-Term Note (included in Exhibit 4.1). 3 5 Signature Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned duly hereunto authorized. CABOT CORPORATION By: /s/ Robert L. Culver ---------------------------- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Date: November 20, 1998 4 6 INDEX TO EXHIBITS Exhibit Number Title Page - ------- ----- ---- 1 Form of Distribution Agreement. 4.1 Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 20, 1998 between Cabot Corporation and State Street Bank and Trust Company, Trustee. 4.2 Form of fixed rate Medium-Term Note (included in Exhibit 4.1). 4.3 Form of floating rate Medium-Term Note (included in Exhibit 4.1). 5
   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 1




                                    FORM OF
                                    -------


                                CABOT CORPORATION

                                  $500,000,000
                           SERIES B MEDIUM-TERM NOTES
                   DUE NINE MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE


                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

                                                               November __, 1998


MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
 Incorporated
World Financial Center
North Tower, 10th Floor
New York, New York  10281-1310


GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
85 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004


J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
60 Wall Street
New York, NY 10260


Ladies and Gentlemen:

        Cabot Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), confirms its
agreement with each of Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (each,
an "Agent", and collectively, the "Agents") with respect to the issue and sale
by the Company of its Series B Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More From
Date of Issue (the "Notes"). The Notes are to be issued pursuant to an
Indenture, dated as of December 1, 1987, as supplemented and amended by a First
Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 17, 1992, a Second Supplemental
Indenture dated as of January 31, 1997 and a Third Supplemental Indenture dated
as of November __, 1998 (collectively and as amended or supplemented from time
to time, the "Indenture"), between the Company and State Street Bank and Trust
Company, as successor trustee (the "Trustee"). As of the date hereof, the
Company has authorized the issuance and sale of up to U.S. $500,000,000
aggregate initial offering price of Notes (or its equivalent, based upon the
exchange rate on the applicable trade date in such foreign or composite
currencies as the Company shall designate at the time of issuance) to or through
the Agents pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. It is understood, however,
that the Company may from time to time authorize the issuance of additional
Notes and





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that such additional Notes may be sold to or through the Agents pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement, all as though the issuance of such Notes were
authorized as of the date hereof.

        This Agreement provides both for the sale of Notes by the Company to one
or more Agents as principal for resale to investors and other purchasers and for
the sale of Notes by the Company directly to investors (as may from time to time
be agreed to by the Company and the applicable Agent), in which case the
applicable Agent will act as an agent of the Company in soliciting offers for
the purchase of Notes.

        The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-64787) for the
registration of debt securities, including the Notes, under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and the offering thereof from time to time
in accordance with Rule 415 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under
the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act Regulations"), and the Company has filed such
post-effective amendments thereto as may be required prior to any acceptance by
the Company of an offer for the purchase of Notes. Such registration statement
(as so amended, if applicable) has been declared effective by the Commission and
the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended (the "1939 Act"). Such registration statement (as so amended, if
applicable) is referred to herein as the "Registration Statement"; and the final
prospectus and all applicable amendments or supplements thereto (including the
final prospectus supplement and pricing supplement relating to the offering of
Notes), in the form first furnished to the applicable Agent(s), are collectively
referred to herein as the "Prospectus"; provided, however, that all references
to the "Registration Statement" and the "Prospectus" shall also be deemed to
include all documents incorporated therein by reference pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), prior to any
acceptance by the Company of an offer for the purchase of Notes; provided,
further, that if the Company files a registration statement with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations (the "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement"), then, after such filing, all references to the
"Registration Statement" shall also be deemed to include the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement. A "preliminary prospectus" shall be deemed to refer to
any prospectus used before the registration statement became effective and any
prospectus furnished by the Company after the registration statement became
effective and before any acceptance by the Company of an offer for the purchase
of Notes which omitted information to be included upon pricing in a form of
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act
Regulations. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or to any amendment or
supplement thereto shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the Commission
pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system
("EDGAR").

        All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules
and other information which is "disclosed," "contained," "included" or "stated"
(or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, Prospectus
or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial
statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus,
as the case may be; and all




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references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration
Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to include the
filing of any document under the 1934 Act which is incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, as the case
may be.

1.      APPOINTMENT AS AGENT.

        a.   APPOINTMENT. Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and
             subject to the reservation by the Company of the right to sell
             Notes directly on its own behalf, the Company hereby agrees that
             Notes will be sold exclusively to or through the Agents. The
             Company agrees that it will not appoint any other agents to act on
             its behalf, or to assist it, in the placement of the Notes.

        b.   SALE OF NOTES. The Company shall not sell or approve the
             solicitation of offers for the purchase of Notes in excess of the
             amount which shall be authorized by the Company from time to time
             or in excess of the aggregate initial offering price of Notes
             registered pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Agents shall
             have no responsibility for maintaining records with respect to the
             aggregate initial offering price of Notes sold, or of otherwise
             monitoring the availability of Notes for sale, under the
             Registration Statement.

        c.   PURCHASES AS PRINCIPAL. The Agents shall not have any obligation to
             purchase Notes from the Company as principal. However, absent an
             agreement between an Agent and the Company that such Agent shall be
             acting solely as an agent for the Company, such Agent shall be
             deemed to be acting as principal in connection with any offering of
             Notes by the Company through such Agent. Accordingly, the Agents,
             individually or in a syndicate, may agree from time to time to
             purchase Notes from the Company as principal for resale to
             investors and other purchasers determined by such Agents. Any
             purchase of Notes from the Company by an Agent as principal shall
             be made in accordance with Section 3(a) hereof.

        d.   SOLICITATIONS AS AGENT. If agreed upon between an Agent and the
             Company, such Agent, acting solely as an agent for the Company and
             not as principal, will solicit offers for the purchase of Notes.
             Such Agent will communicate to the Company, orally, each offer for
             the purchase of Notes solicited by it on an agency basis other than
             those offers rejected by such Agent. Such Agent shall have the
             right, in its discretion reasonably exercised, to reject any offer
             for the purchase of Notes, in whole or in part, and any such
             rejection shall not be deemed a breach of its agreement contained
             herein. The Company may accept or reject any offer for the purchase
             of Notes, in whole or in part. Such Agent shall make reasonable
             efforts to assist the Company in obtaining performance by each
             purchaser whose offer for the purchase of Notes has been solicited
             by it on an agency basis and accepted by the Company. Such Agent
             shall not have any liability to the Company in the event that any
             such purchase is not consummated for any reason. If the Company
             shall default on its



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             obligation to deliver Notes to a purchaser whose offer has been
             solicited by such Agent on an agency basis and accepted by the
             Company, the Company shall (i) hold such Agent harmless against any
             loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default
             by the Company and (ii) pay to such Agent any commission to which
             it would otherwise be entitled absent such default.

        e.   RELIANCE. The Company and the Agents agree that any Notes purchased
             from the Company by one or more Agents as principal shall be
             purchased, and any Notes the placement of which an Agent arranges
             as an agent of the Company shall be placed by such Agent, in
             reliance on the representations, warranties, covenants and
             agreements of the Company contained herein and on the terms and
             conditions and in the manner provided herein.

2.      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

        a.   The Company represents and warrants to each Agent as of the date
             hereof, as of the date of each acceptance by the Company of an
             offer for the purchase of Notes (whether to such Agent as principal
             or through such Agent as agent), as of the date of each delivery of
             Notes (whether to such Agent as principal or through such Agent as
             agent) (the date of each such delivery to such Agent as principal
             is referred to herein as a "Settlement Date"), and as of any time
             that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended
             or supplemented (each of the times referenced above is referred to
             herein as a "Representation Date"), as follows:

             i.    DUE INCORPORATION, GOOD STANDING AND DUE QUALIFICATION OF THE
                   COMPANY. The Company has been duly organized and is validly
                   existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
                   Delaware with corporate power and authority to own, lease and
                   operate its properties and to conduct its business as
                   described in the Prospectus and to enter into this Agreement
                   and consummate the transactions contemplated in the
                   Prospectus; the Company is duly qualified as a foreign
                   corporation to transact business and is in good standing in
                   each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
                   whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or
                   the conduct of business, except where the failure to so
                   qualify or be in good standing would not result in a material
                   adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or
                   in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of
                   the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise
                   (a "Material Adverse Effect").

             ii.   DUE INCORPORATION, GOOD STANDING AND DUE QUALIFICATION OF
                   SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARIES. Each significant subsidiary (as
                   such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X
                   promulgated under the 1933 Act), if any (each, a "Significant
                   Subsidiary") has been duly organized and is validly existing
                   as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
                   jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and
                   authority to own, lease and operate its properties and



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                   conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is
                   duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business
                   and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
                   qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership
                   or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except
                   where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would
                   not result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company owns
                   such amount or percentage of the outstanding capital stock of
                   its subsidiaries as it is stated in the Prospectus to own or
                   as it is assumed to own for purposes of preparing the
                   financial statements of the Company included in the
                   Prospectus, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and
                   claims, and all such stock is validly issued, fully paid and
                   nonassessable.

             iii.  REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS. The Company meets the
                   requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act; the
                   Registration Statement (including any Rule 462(b)
                   Registration Statement) has become effective under the 1933
                   Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
                   Registration Statement (including any Rule 462(b)
                   Registration Statement) has been issued under the 1933 Act
                   and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or
                   are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are
                   contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part
                   of the Commission for additional information has been
                   complied with; the Indenture has been duly qualified under
                   the 1939 Act; at the respective times that the Registration
                   Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any
                   post-effective amendment thereto (including the filing of the
                   Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K with the
                   Commission (the "Annual Report on Form 10-K")) became
                   effective and at each Representation Date, the Registration
                   Statement (including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement)
                   and any amendments thereto complied and will comply in all
                   material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and
                   the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the rules and
                   regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the "1939
                   Act Regulations") and did not and will not contain an untrue
                   statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
                   required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
                   statements therein not misleading; each preliminary
                   prospectus and prospectus filed as part of the Registration
                   Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment
                   thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act,
                   complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933
                   Act Regulations; each preliminary prospectus and the
                   Prospectus delivered to the applicable Agent(s) for use in
                   connection with the offering of Notes are identical to any
                   electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
                   Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted
                   by Regulation S-T; and at the date hereof, at the date of the
                   Prospectus and at each Representation Date, neither the
                   Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto included
                   or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or
                   omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in
                   order to make the statements therein not misleading;
                   provided, however, that the



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                   representations and warranties in this subsection shall not
                   apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration
                   Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
                   conformity with information furnished to the Company in
                   writing by the Agents expressly for use in the Registration
                   Statement or the Prospectus or to any statement in or
                   omission from the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification
                   on Form T-1 of the Trustee.

             iv.   INCORPORATED DOCUMENTS. The documents incorporated or deemed
                   to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the
                   time they were or are hereafter filed with the Commission,
                   complied and will comply in all material respects with the
                   requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of
                   the Commission under the 1934 Act (the "1934 Act
                   Regulations") and, when read together with the other
                   information in the Prospectus, at the date hereof, at the
                   date of the Prospectus and at each Representation Date, did
                   not and will not include an untrue statement of a material
                   fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
                   make the statements therein, in the light of the
                   circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

             v.    INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS. The accountants who certified the
                   financial statements and any supporting schedules thereto
                   included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are
                   independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act
                   and the 1933 Act Regulations.

             vi.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The consolidated financial statements
                   of the Company included in the Registration Statement and the
                   Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, as
                   well as those financial statements, schedules and notes of
                   any other entity included in the Registration Statement and
                   the Prospectus, present fairly the consolidated financial
                   position of the Company and its subsidiaries, or such other
                   entity, as the case may be, at the dates indicated and the
                   consolidated statement of operations, stockholders' equity
                   and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries, or such
                   other entity, as the case may be, for the periods specified;
                   such financial statements have been prepared in conformity
                   with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP")
                   applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
                   involved, except for the notes to any unaudited financial
                   statements; the supporting schedules, if any, included in the
                   Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in
                   accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated
                   therein; the selected financial data and the summary
                   financial information included in the Registration Statement
                   and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown
                   therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with
                   that of the audited financial statements included in the
                   Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and any pro forma
                   consolidated financial statements of the Company and its
                   subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included in the
                   Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the
                   information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance



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                   with the Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to
                   pro forma financial statements and have been properly
                   compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions
                   used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the
                   adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to
                   the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.

             vii.  NO MATERIAL CHANGES. Since the respective dates as of which
                   information is given in the Registration Statement and the
                   Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (1) there has
                   been no event or occurrence that would result in a Material
                   Adverse Effect and (2) there have been no transactions
                   entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other
                   than those in the ordinary course of business, which are
                   material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries
                   considered as one enterprise.

             viii. AUTHORIZATION, ETC. OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE INDENTURE AND THE
                   NOTES. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
                   delivered by the Company; the Indenture has been duly
                   authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and will be
                   a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company,
                   enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
                   except as enforcement thereof may be limited by (1)
                   bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
                   similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
                   generally, (2) general equitable principles (regardless of
                   whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity
                   or at law), (3) requirements that a claim with respect to any
                   debt securities issued under the Indenture that are payable
                   in a foreign or composite currency (or a foreign or composite
                   currency judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into
                   U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date
                   determined pursuant to applicable law or (4) governmental
                   authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments
                   outside the United States; the Notes have been duly
                   authorized by the Company for offer, sale, issuance and
                   delivery pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued,
                   authenticated and delivered in the manner provided for in the
                   Indenture and delivered against payment of the consideration
                   therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding
                   obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company
                   in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof
                   may be limited by (1) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
                   moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of
                   creditors' rights generally, (2) general equitable principles
                   (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a
                   proceeding in equity or at law), (3) requirements that a
                   claim with respect to any Notes payable in a foreign or
                   composite currency (or a foreign or composite currency
                   judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into U.S.
                   dollars at a rate or exchange prevailing on a date determined
                   pursuant to applicable law or (4) governmental authority to
                   limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the
                   United States; the Notes will be substantially in a form
                   previously



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                   certified to the Agents and contemplated by the Indenture;
                   and each holder of Notes will be entitled to the benefits of
                   the Indenture.

             ix.   DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INDENTURE AND THE NOTES. The Indenture
                   and the Notes conform and will conform in all material
                   respects to the statements relating thereto contained in the
                   Prospectus and are substantially in the form filed or
                   incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as an exhibit
                   to the Registration Statement. Immediately after any sale of
                   Notes by the Company hereunder, the aggregate amount of Notes
                   which shall have been issued and sold by the Company
                   hereunder and of any debt securities of the Company (other
                   than such Notes) that shall have been issued and sold
                   pursuant to the Registration Statement will not exceed the
                   amount of debt securities registered under the Registration
                   Statement.

             x.    ACCURACY OF EXHIBITS. There are no contracts or documents
                   which are required to be described in the Registration
                   Statement, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by
                   reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which
                   have not been so described and filed as required.

             xi.   ABSENCE OF DEFAULTS AND CONFLICTS. Neither the Company nor
                   any of its subsidiaries is in violation of the provisions of
                   its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or
                   observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or
                   condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage,
                   deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other
                   agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its
                   subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be
                   bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
                   Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively,
                   "Agreements and Instruments"), except for such defaults that
                   would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the
                   execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the
                   Indenture, the Notes and any other agreement or instrument
                   entered into or issued or to be entered into or issued by the
                   Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by
                   the Prospectus, the consummation of the transactions
                   contemplated in the Prospectus (including the issuance and
                   sale of the Notes and the use of proceeds therefrom as
                   described in the Prospectus) and the compliance by the
                   Company with its obligations hereunder and under the
                   Indenture, the Notes and such other agreements or instruments
                   have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
                   and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving
                   of notice or the passage of time or both, conflict with or
                   constitute a breach of, or default or event or condition
                   which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other
                   evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such
                   holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase,
                   redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such
                   indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (a
                   "Repayment Event") under, or result in the creation or
                   imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
                   assets, properties or operations of the Company or any of its



                                        8

   9
                   subsidiaries pursuant to, any Agreements and Instruments, nor
                   will such action result in any violation of the provisions of
                   the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its
                   subsidiaries or any applicable law, statute, rule,
                   regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
                   government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or
                   foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
                   subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or
                   operations.

             xii.  ABSENCE OF PROCEEDINGS. There is no action, suit, proceeding,
                   inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or
                   governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now
                   pending, or to the knowledge of the Company threatened,
                   against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries
                   which is required to be disclosed in the Registration
                   Statement and the Prospectus (other than as stated therein),
                   or which may reasonably be expected to result in a Material
                   Adverse Effect, or which may reasonably be expected to
                   materially and adversely affect the assets, properties or
                   operations thereof, the performance by the Company of its
                   obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes
                   or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the
                   Prospectus; and the aggregate of all pending legal or
                   governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its
                   subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective
                   assets, properties or operations is the subject which are not
                   described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
                   including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the
                   business, may not reasonably be expected to result in a
                   Material Adverse Effect.

             xiii. TITLE TO PROPERTY. The Company and its subsidiaries have good
                   and marketable title to all property that is described in the
                   Prospectus as owned by the Company and its subsidiaries or
                   necessary to conduct its business as described in the
                   Prospectus, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens,
                   security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of
                   any kind, except (A) as otherwise stated in the Registration
                   Statement and the Prospectus or (B) those which are not
                   material and do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially
                   interfere with or adversely affect the use made and proposed
                   to be made of such property by the Company or any of its
                   subsidiaries.

             xiv.  ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. Except as otherwise stated in the
                   Registration Statement and the Prospectus and except as would
                   not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse
                   Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
                   is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign
                   statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or
                   rule of common law or any judicial or administrative
                   interpretation thereof including any judicial or
                   administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating
                   to pollution or protection of human health, the environment
                   (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water,
                   groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife,
                   including,



                                        9


   10
                    without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the
                    release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
                    contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous
                    substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively,
                    "Hazardous Materials") or to the manufacture, processing,
                    distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport
                    or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively,
                    "Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries
                    have all permits, authorizations and approvals required
                    under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in
                    compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending
                    or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial
                    actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens,
                    notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or
                    proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the
                    Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no
                    events or circumstances that may reasonably be expected to
                    form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or
                    an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
                    governmental body or agency, against or affecting the
                    Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous
                    Materials or any Environmental Laws.

             xv.    NO FILINGS, REGULATORY APPROVALS ETC. No filing with, or
                    approval, authorization, consent, license, registration,
                    qualification, order or decree of, any court or governmental
                    authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or
                    required for the performance by the Company of its
                    obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the
                    Notes or in connection with the transactions contemplated in
                    the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained under the
                    1933 Act or the 1939 Act and such consents, approvals,
                    authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
                    required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in
                    connection with the solicitation by any Agent of offers to
                    purchase Securities from the Company and with purchases of
                    Securities by such Agent as principal, as the case may be,
                    in each case in the manner contemplated hereby.

             xvi.   INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT. The Company is not, and upon the
                    issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated and
                    the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described
                    in the Prospectus will not be, an "investment company"
                    within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
                    amended (the "1940 Act").

             xvii.  COMMODITY EXCHANGE ACT. The Notes, upon issuance, will be
                    excluded or exempted under, or beyond the purview of, the
                    Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (the "Commodity Exchange
                    Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commodity
                    Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act
                    (the "Commodity Exchange Act Regulations").

             xviii. RATINGS. The Medium-Term Note Program under which the Notes
                    are issued (the "Program"), as well as the Notes, are rated
                    [ ] by Moody's



                                       10

   11
                   Investors Service, Inc. and [BBB+] by Standard & Poor's
                   Ratings Service, or such other rating as to which the Company
                   shall have most recently notified the Agents pursuant to
                   Section 4(a) hereof.

        b.   ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS. Any certificate signed by any officer of
             the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to one or more
             Agents or to counsel for the Agents in connection with an offering
             of Notes to one or more Agents as principal or through an Agent as
             agent shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company
             to such Agent or Agents as to the matters covered thereby on the
             date of such certificate and, unless subsequently amended or
             supplemented, at each Representation Date subsequent thereto.

3.      PURCHASES AS PRINCIPAL; SOLICITATIONS AS AGENT.

        a.   PURCHASES AS PRINCIPAL. Notes purchased from the Company by the
             Agents, individually or in a syndicate, as principal shall be made
             in accordance with terms agreed upon between such Agent or Agents
             and the Company (which terms, unless otherwise agreed, shall, to
             the extent applicable, include those terms specified in Exhibit A
             hereto and shall be agreed upon orally, with written confirmation
             prepared by such Agent or Agents and mailed to the Company). An
             Agent's commitment to purchase Notes as principal shall be deemed
             to have been made on the basis of the representations and
             warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be subject to
             the terms and conditions herein set forth. Unless the context
             otherwise requires, references herein to "this Agreement" shall
             include the applicable agreement of one or more Agents to purchase
             Notes from the Company as principal. Each purchase of Notes by one
             or more Agents as principal, unless otherwise agreed, shall be at a
             discount from the principal amount of each such Note equivalent to
             the applicable commission set forth in Schedule A hereto. The
             Agents may engage the services of any broker or dealer in
             connection with the resale of the Notes purchased by them as
             principal and may allow all or any portion of the discount received
             from the Company in connection with such purchases to such brokers
             or dealers. At the time of each purchase of Notes from the Company
             by one or more Agents as principal, such Agent or Agents shall
             specify the requirements for the officers' certificate, opinion of
             counsel and comfort letter pursuant to Sections 7(b), 7(c) and 7(d)
             hereof.

             If the Company and two or more Agents enter into an agreement
             pursuant to which such Agents agree to purchase Notes from the
             Company as principal and one or more of such Agents shall fail at
             the Settlement Date to purchase the Notes which it or they are
             obligated to purchase (the "Defaulted Notes"), then the
             nondefaulting Agents shall have the right, within 24 hours
             thereafter, to make arrangements for one of them or one or more
             other Agents or underwriters to purchase all, but not less than
             all, of the Defaulted Notes in such amounts as may be agreed upon
             and upon the terms herein set forth; provided, however, that if
             such arrangements shall not have been completed within such 24-hour
             period, then:



                                       11

   12
             (i)   if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Notes does not
                   exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be
                   so purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date,
                   the nondefaulting Agents shall be obligated, severally and
                   not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the
                   proportions that their respective initial underwriting
                   obligations bear to the underwriting obligations of all
                   nondefaulting Agents; or

             (ii)  if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Notes exceeds
                   10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be so
                   purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date, such
                   agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of
                   any nondefaulting Agent.

                   No action taken pursuant to this paragraph shall relieve any
                   defaulting Agent from liability in respect of its default. In
                   the event of any such default which does not result in a
                   termination of such agreement, either the nondefaulting
                   Agents or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
                   Settlement Date for a period not exceeding seven days in
                   order to effect any required changes in the Registration
                   Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents or
                   arrangements.

        b.   SOLICITATIONS AS AGENT. On the basis of the representations and
             warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and
             conditions herein set forth, when agreed by the Company and an
             Agent, such Agent, as an agent of the Company, will use its
             reasonable efforts to solicit offers for the purchase of Notes upon
             the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Agents are not
             authorized to appoint sub-agents with respect to Notes sold through
             them as agent. All Notes sold through an Agent as agent will be
             sold at 100% of their principal amount unless otherwise agreed upon
             between the Company and such Agent.

                   The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to
             suspend solicitation of offers for the purchase of Notes through an
             Agent, as an agent of the Company, commencing at any time for any
             period of time or permanently. As soon as practicable after receipt
             of instructions from the Company, such Agent will suspend
             solicitation of offers for the purchase of Notes from the Company
             until such time as the Company has advised such Agent that such
             solicitation may be resumed.

                   The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, in the
             form of a discount, equal to the applicable percentage of the
             principal amount of each Note sold by the Company as a result of a
             solicitation made by such Agent, as an agent of the Company, as set
             forth in Schedule A hereto.

        c.   ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. The purchase price, interest rate or
             formula, maturity date and other terms of the Notes specified in
             Exhibit A hereto (as applicable) shall be agreed upon between the
             Company and the applicable Agent(s) and specified in a pricing
             supplement to the Prospectus (each, a "Pricing Supplement") to be
             prepared



                                       12


   13
             by the Company in connection with each sale of Notes. Except as
             otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Notes
             will be issued in denominations of U.S. $1,000 or any larger amount
             that is an integral multiple of U.S. $1,000. Administrative
             procedures with respect to the issuance and sale of the Notes (the
             "Procedures") shall be agreed upon from time to time among the
             Company, the Agents and the Trustee. The Agents and the Company
             agree to perform, and the Company agrees to cause the Trustee to
             agree to perform, their respective duties and obligations
             specifically provided to be performed by them in the Procedures.

4.      COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

        The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent as follows:

        a.   NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS. The Company will notify the Agents
             immediately, and confirm such notice in writing, of (i) the
             effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to the Registration
             Statement or the filing of any amendment or supplement to the
             Prospectus (other than any amendment or supplement thereto
             providing solely for the determination of the variable terms of the
             Notes or relating solely to the offering of securities other than
             the Notes), (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission,
             (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the
             Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the
             Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) the issuance by the
             Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
             Registration Statement, or of any order preventing or suspending
             the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the initiation of any
             proceedings for that purpose or (v) any change in the rating
             assigned by any nationally recognized statistical rating
             organization to the Program or any debt securities (including the
             Notes) of the Company, or the public announcement by any nationally
             recognized statistical rating organization that it has under
             surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its
             rating of the Program or any such debt securities, or the
             withdrawal by any nationally recognized statistical rating
             organization of its rating of the Program or any such debt
             securities. The Company will make every reasonable effort to
             prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is
             issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
             moment.

        b.   FILING OR USE OF AMENDMENTS. The Company will give the Agents
             advance notice of its intention to file or prepare any additional
             registration statement with respect to the registration of
             additional Notes, any amendment to the Registration Statement
             (including any filing under Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act
             Regulations) or any amendment or supplement to the prospectus
             included in the Registration Statement at the time it became
             effective or to the Prospectus (other than an amendment or
             supplement thereto providing solely for the determination of the
             variable terms of the Notes or relating solely to the offering of
             securities other than the Notes), whether pursuant to the 1933 Act,
             the 1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish to the Agents copies of any
             such document a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed
             filing or



                                       13

   14
             use, as the case may be, and will not file any such document to
             which the Agents or counsel for the Agents shall object.

        c.   DELIVERY OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Company has furnished
             to each Agent and to counsel for the Agents, without charge, signed
             and conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally
             filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed
             therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents
             incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and
             signed and conformed copies of all consents and certificates of
             experts. The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto
             furnished to the Agents will be identical to any electronically
             transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
             EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

        d.   DELIVERY OF THE PROSPECTUS. The Company will deliver to each Agent,
             without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as
             such Agent may reasonably request, and the Company hereby consents
             to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act.
             The Company will furnish to each Agent, without charge, such number
             of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such
             Agent may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
             supplements thereto furnished to the Agents will be identical to
             any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
             Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by
             Regulation S-T.

        e.   PREPARATION OF PRICING SUPPLEMENTS. The Company will prepare, with
             respect to any Notes to be sold to or through one or more Agents
             pursuant to this Agreement, a Pricing Supplement with respect to
             such Notes in a form previously approved by the Agents. The Company
             will deliver such Pricing Supplement no later than 11:00 a.m., New
             York City time, on the business day following the date of the
             Company's acceptance of the offer for the purchase of such Notes
             and will file such Pricing Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
             under the 1933 Act not later than the close of business of the
             Commission on the fifth business day after the date on which such
             Pricing Supplement is first used.

        f.   REVISIONS OF PROSPECTUS -- MATERIAL CHANGES. Except as otherwise
             provided in subsection (m) of this Section 4, if at any time during
             the term of this Agreement any event shall occur or condition shall
             exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of
             counsel for the Agents or counsel for the Company, to amend the
             Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement
             will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
             state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
             make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or
             supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not
             include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
             material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not
             misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time
             the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be
             necessary, in the



                                       14

   15
             opinion of either such counsel, to amend the Registration Statement
             or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
             requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the
             Company shall give immediate notice, confirmed in writing, to the
             Agents to cease the solicitation of offers for the purchase of
             Notes in their capacity as agents and to cease sales of any Notes
             they may then own as principal, and the Company will promptly
             prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 4(b)
             hereof, such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct
             such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement
             and Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will
             furnish to the Agents, without charge, such number of copies of
             such amendment or supplement as the Agents may reasonably request.
             In addition, the Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933
             Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to
             permit the completion of the distribution of each offering of
             Notes.

        g.   PROSPECTUS REVISIONS -- PERIODIC FINANCIAL INFORMATION. Except as
             otherwise provided in subsection (m) of this Section 4, on or prior
             to the date on which there shall be released to the general public
             interim financial statement information related to the Company with
             respect to each of the first three quarters of any fiscal year or
             preliminary financial statement information with respect to any
             fiscal year, the Company shall furnish such information to the
             Agents, confirmed in writing, and shall cause the Prospectus to be
             timely amended or supplemented to include financial information
             with respect thereto and corresponding information for the
             comparable period of the preceding fiscal year, as well as such
             other information and explanations as shall be necessary for an
             understanding thereof or as shall be required by the 1933 Act or
             the 1933 Act Regulations.

        h.   PROSPECTUS REVISIONS -- AUDITED FINANCIAL INFORMATION. Except as
             otherwise provided in subsection (m) of this Section 4, on or prior
             to the date on which there shall be released to the general public
             financial information included in or derived from the audited
             consolidated financial statements of the Company for the preceding
             fiscal year, the Company shall furnish such information to the
             Agents, confirmed in writing, and shall cause the Prospectus to be
             timely amended or supplemented to include such audited consolidated
             financial statements and the report or reports, and consent or
             consents to such inclusion, of the independent accountants with
             respect thereto, as well as such other information and explanations
             as shall be necessary for an understanding of such consolidated
             financial statements or as shall be required by the 1933 Act or the
             1933 Act Regulations.

        i.   EARNINGS STATEMENTS. The Company will timely file such reports
             pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make
             generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable
             an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the
             benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of
             the 1933 Act.



                                       15

   16
        j.   REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. The Company, during the period when the
             Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the
             1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the
             Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods
             prescribed by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

        k.   RESTRICTION ON OFFERS AND SALES OF SECURITIES. Unless otherwise
             agreed upon between one or more Agents acting as principal and the
             Company, between the date of the agreement by such Agent(s) to
             purchase the related Notes from the Company and the Settlement Date
             with respect thereto, the Company will not, without the prior
             written consent of such Agent(s), issue, sell, offer or contract to
             sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of,
             any debt securities of the Company (other than the Notes that are
             to be sold pursuant to such agreement or commercial paper in the
             ordinary course of business).

        l.   USE OF PROCEEDS. The Company will use the net proceeds received by
             it from the issuance and sale of the Notes in the manner specified
             in the Prospectus.

        m.   SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS. The Company shall not be
             required to comply with the provisions of subsections (f), (g) or
             (h) of this Section 4 during any period from the time (i) the
             Agents shall have suspended solicitation of offers for the purchase
             of Notes in their capacity as agents pursuant to a request from the
             Company and (ii) no Agent shall then hold any Notes purchased from
             the Company as principal, as the case may be, until the time the
             Company shall determine that solicitation of offers for the
             purchase of Notes should be resumed or an Agent shall subsequently
             purchase Notes from the Company as principal.

5.      CONDITIONS OF AGENTS' OBLIGATIONS.

        The obligations of one or more Agents to purchase Notes from the Company
as principal and to solicit offers for the purchase of Notes as an agent of the
Company, and the obligations of any purchasers of Notes sold through an Agent as
an agent of the Company, will be subject to the accuracy of the representations
and warranties on the part of the Company herein contained or contained in any
certificate of an officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered
pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance and observance by the
Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following
additional conditions precedent:

        a.   EFFECTIVENESS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Registration Statement
             (including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement) has become
             effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the
             effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued
             under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
             been instituted or shall be pending or threatened by the
             Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for
             additional information shall have been complied with to the
             reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Agents.



                                       16

   17
        b.   LEGAL OPINIONS. On the date hereof, the Agents shall have received
             the following legal opinions, dated as of the date hereof and in
             form and substance satisfactory to the Agents:

             (1)   OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY. The favorable opinion of
                   Robert Rothberg, Esq., Vice President and General Counsel of
                   the Company, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and
                   to such further effect as the Agents may reasonably request.

             (2)   OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE AGENTS. The favorable opinion of
                   Goodwin, Procter & Hoar LLP, counsel for the Agents, with
                   respect to the matters set forth in numbered paragraphs 1
                   (first sentence), 5, 6, 8 and 10 and the penultimate
                   paragraph of Exhibit B hereto.

        c.   OFFICER'S CERTIFICATE. On the date hereof, there shall not have
             been, since the respective dates as of which information is given
             in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition,
             financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or
             business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered
             as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
             business, and the Agents shall have received a certificate of the
             President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief
             financial officer and chief accounting officer of the Company,
             dated as of the date hereof, to the effect that (i) there has been
             no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and
             warranties of the Company herein contained are true and correct
             with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as
             of the date of such certificate, (iii) the Company has complied
             with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
             performed or satisfied at or prior to the date of such certificate,
             and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
             Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
             purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best of such
             officer's knowledge, are threatened by the Commission.

        d.   COMFORT LETTER OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS. On the date hereof, the
             Agents shall have received a letter from the independent certified
             public accountants who have certified the financial statements
             included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
             and Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, dated as of the
             date hereof and in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents,
             containing statements and information of the type ordinarily
             included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with
             respect to the financial statements and certain financial
             information contained in or incorporated by reference in the
             Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as then amended or
             supplemented.

        e.   ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS. On the date hereof, counsel to the Agents
             shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as such
             counsel may require for the purpose of enabling such counsel to
             pass upon the issuance and sale of Notes as herein



                                       17

   18
             contemplated and related proceedings, or in order to evidence the
             accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the
             fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all
             proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance
             and sale of Notes as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in
             form and substance to the Agents and to counsel to the Agents.

        If any condition specified in this Section 5 shall not have been
fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated
by the applicable Agent or Agents by notice to the Company at any time and any
such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party
except as provided in Section 10 hereof and except that Sections 8, 9, 11, 14
and 15 hereof shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and
effect.

6.      DELIVERY OF AND PAYMENT FOR NOTES SOLD THROUGH AN AGENT AS AGENT.

        Delivery of Notes sold through an Agent as an agent of the Company shall
be made by the Company to such Agent for the account of any purchaser only
against payment therefor in immediately available funds. In the event that a
purchaser shall fail either to accept delivery of or to make payment for a Note
on the date fixed for settlement, such Agent shall promptly notify the Company
and deliver such Note to the Company and, if such Agent has theretofore paid the
Company for such Note, the Company will promptly return such funds to such
Agent. If such failure has occurred for any reason other than default by such
Agent in the performance of its obligations hereunder, the Company will
reimburse such Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of the use of the funds
for the period such funds were credited to the Company's account.

7.      ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

        The Company further covenants and agrees with each Agent as follows:

        a.   REAFFIRMATION OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Each acceptance by
             the Company of an offer for the purchase of Notes (whether to one
             or more Agents as principal or through an Agent as agent), and each
             delivery of Notes (whether to one or more Agents as principal or
             through an Agent as agent), shall be deemed to be an affirmation
             that the representations and warranties of the Company herein
             contained and contained in any certificate theretofore delivered to
             the Agents pursuant hereto are true and correct at the time of such
             acceptance or sale, as the case may be, and an undertaking that
             such representations and warranties will be true and correct at the
             time of delivery to such Agent(s) or to the purchaser or its agent,
             as the case may be, of the Notes relating to such acceptance or
             sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such
             time (it being understood that such representations and warranties
             shall relate to the Registration Statement and Prospectus as
             amended and supplemented to each such time).

        b.   SUBSEQUENT DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES. Each time that (i) the
             Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or
             supplemented (other than by an amendment or



                                       18


   19
             supplement providing solely for the determination of the variable
             terms of the Notes or relating solely to the offering of securities
             other than the Notes), (ii) the Company sells Notes to or through
             one or more Agents, whether as principal or as agent or (iii) the
             Company sells Notes in a form not previously certified to the
             Agents by the Company, the Company shall furnish or cause to be
             furnished to the Agent(s), forthwith a certificate dated the date
             of filing with the Commission or the date of effectiveness of such
             amendment or supplement, as applicable, or the date of such sale,
             as the case may be, in form satisfactory to the Agent(s) to the
             effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to
             in Section 5(c) hereof which were last furnished to the Agents are
             true and correct at the time of the filing or effectiveness of such
             amendment or supplement, as applicable, or the time of such sale,
             as the case may be, as though made at and as of such time (except
             that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
             Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such
             time) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same
             tenor as the certificate referred to in Section 5(c) hereof,
             modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and
             the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery
             of such certificate (it being understood that, in the case of
             clause (ii) above, any such certificate shall also include a
             certification that there has been no material adverse change in the
             condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business
             affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
             considered as one enterprise since the date of the agreement by
             such Agent(s) to purchase Notes from the Company as principal).

        c.   SUBSEQUENT DELIVERY OF LEGAL OPINIONS. Each time that (i) the
             Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or
             supplemented (other than by an amendment or supplement providing
             solely for the determination of the variable terms of the Notes or
             relating solely to the offering of securities other than the
             Notes), (ii) the Company sells Notes to or through one or more
             Agents, whether as principal or as agent or (iii) the Company sells
             Notes in a form not previously certified to the Agents by the
             Company, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished
             forthwith to the Agent(s) and to counsel to the Agents the written
             opinion of Robert Rothberg, Esq., counsel to the Company, or other
             counsel satisfactory to the Agent(s), dated the date of filing with
             the Commission or the date of effectiveness of such amendment or
             supplement, as applicable, or the date of such sale, as the case
             may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent(s), of the
             same tenor as the opinion referred to in Section 5(b)(1) hereof,
             but modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement
             and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of
             delivery of such opinion or, in lieu of such opinion, counsel last
             furnishing such opinion to the Agents shall furnish the Agent(s)
             with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agent(s) may
             rely on such last opinion to the same extent as though it was dated
             the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that
             statements in such last opinion shall be deemed to relate to the
             Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and
             supplemented to the time of delivery of such letter authorizing
             reliance).




                                       19


   20
        d.   SUBSEQUENT DELIVERY OF COMFORT LETTERS. Each time that (i) the
             Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or
             supplemented to include additional financial information (other
             than by an amendment or supplement relating solely to the issuance
             and/or offering of securities other than the Notes) or (ii) the
             Company sells Notes to or through one or more Agents, whether as
             principal or as agent, the Company shall cause its independent
             public accountants forthwith to furnish to the Agent(s) a letter,
             dated the date of filing with the Commission or the date of
             effectiveness of such amendment or supplement, as applicable, or
             the date of such sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to
             the Agent(s), of the same tenor as the letter referred to in
             Section 5(d) hereof but modified to relate to the Registration
             Statement and Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of
             such letter.

8.      INDEMNIFICATION.

        a.   INDEMNIFICATION OF THE AGENTS. The Company agrees to indemnify and
             hold harmless each Agent and each person, if any, who controls such
             Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
             20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

             i.    against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
                   expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of an untrue
                   statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
                   contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
                   thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
                   material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
                   make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of
                   an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
                   fact included in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus
                   (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or
                   alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
                   order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
                   circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

             ii.   against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
                   expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the
                   aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any
                   investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
                   body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based
                   upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
                   alleged untrue statement or omission, provided that (subject
                   to Section 8(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with
                   the written consent of the Company; and

             iii.  against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
                   (including the fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably
                   incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any
                   litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
                   governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
                   claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or
                   omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission,
                   to the extent that any such expense is not paid under
                   subparagraph (i) or (ii) above;



                                       20


   21
provided, however, that this indemnity does not apply to any loss, liability,
claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of an untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agents
expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or
any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto).

        b.   INDEMNIFICATION OF COMPANY, DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. Each Agent
             severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
             directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
             Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
             the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934
             Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
             described in the indemnity contained in Section 8(a) hereof, as
             incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions,
             or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
             Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus
             or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in
             reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
             to the Company by the Agents expressly for use in the Registration
             Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus
             or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

        c.   ACTIONS AGAINST PARTIES; NOTIFICATION. Each indemnified party shall
             give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each
             indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of
             which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify
             an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party
             from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially
             prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve
             it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account
             of this indemnity agreement. In case any such action shall be
             brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the
             indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
             party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent
             that it shall wish, to assume the defense thereof, jointly with any
             other indemnifying party similarly notified, with counsel
             satisfactory to such indemnified party and, after notice from the
             indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to
             assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
             liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal
             expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case
             subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with
             the defense thereof except as provided below and except for the
             reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the
             indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified
             party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such
             action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel
             will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the
             employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized
             in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnified party
             has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there
             may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties
             that are different from or in addition to those available to the
             indemnifying party, (iii) a



                                       21


   22
             conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel
             to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the
             indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not
             have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of
             the indemnified party) or (iv) the indemnifying party has not in
             fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a
             reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the
             action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements
             and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the
             indemnifying party or parties. In no event shall the indemnifying
             parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel
             (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel
             for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or
             separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction
             arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No
             indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
             indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry
             of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any
             investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body,
             commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of
             which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this
             Section 8 or 9 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are
             actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement,
             compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each
             indemnified party from all liability arising out of such
             litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not
             include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
             a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

        d.   SETTLEMENT WITHOUT CONSENT IF FAILURE TO REIMBURSE. If at any time
             an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
             reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel,
             such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any
             settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 8(a)(ii) effected
             without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into
             more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
             aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received
             notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to
             such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying
             party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in
             accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

9.      CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 hereof
is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the
aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one
hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, from the offering of the
Notes that were the subject of the claim for indemnification or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one
hand, and the applicable Agent(s),



                                       22


   23
on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted
in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations.

        The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the
applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the
Notes that were the subject of the claim for indemnification shall be deemed to
be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the
offering of such Notes (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and
the total discount or commission received by each applicable Agent, as the case
may be, bears to the aggregate initial offering price of such Notes.

        The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the applicable
Agent(s), on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the applicable Agent(s) and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.

        The Company and the Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the applicable Agent(s) were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 9. The aggregate
amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an
indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 9 shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any applicable untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

        Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, (i) no Agent shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
discount or commission received by such Agent in connection with the offering of
the Notes that were the subject of the claim for indemnification exceeds the
amount of any damages which such Agent has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of any applicable untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. In addition, in connection with an offering of Notes
purchased from the Company by two or more Agents as principal, the respective
obligations of such Agents to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several,
and not joint, in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Notes that
each such Agent has agreed to purchase from the Company.

        For purposes of this Section 9, each person, if any, who controls an
Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934
Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Agent, and each director
of the Company, each officer of the Company and



                                       23

   24
each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15
of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.

10.     PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including:

        a.   The preparation, filing, printing and delivery of the Registration
             Statement as originally filed and all amendments thereto and any
             preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendments or
             supplements thereto;

        b.   The preparation, printing and delivery of this Agreement and the
             Indenture;

        c.   The preparation, issuance and delivery of the Notes, including any
             fees and expenses relating to the eligibility and issuance of Notes
             in book-entry form and the cost of obtaining CUSIP or other
             identification numbers for the Notes;

        d.   The fees and disbursements of the Company's accountants, counsel
             and other advisors or agents (including any calculation agent or
             exchange rate agent) and of the Trustee and its counsel;

        e.   The reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents
             incurred in connection with the establishment of the Program and
             incurred from time to time in connection with the transactions
             contemplated hereby;

        f.   The fees charged by nationally recognized statistical rating
             organizations for the rating of the Program and the Notes;

        g.   The fees and expenses incurred in connection with any listing of
             Notes on a securities exchange;

        h.   The filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and
             disbursements of counsel to the Agents in connection with, the
             review, if any, by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
             Inc. (the "NASD"); and

        i.   Any advertising and other out-of-pocket expenses of the Agents
             incurred with the approval of the Company.

11.     REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY.

        All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this
Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto or thereto shall remain operative and in
full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
the Agents or any controlling person of an Agent, or by or on behalf of the
Company, and shall survive each delivery of and payment for the Notes.




                                       24

   25
12.     TERMINATION.

        a.   TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. This Agreement (excluding any
             agreement by one or more Agents to purchase Notes from the Company
             as principal) may be terminated for any reason, at any time by
             either the Company or an Agent, as to itself, upon the giving of 30
             days' prior written notice of such termination to the other party
             hereto.

        b.   TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE NOTES AS PRINCIPAL. The
             applicable Agent(s) may terminate any agreement by such Agent(s) to
             purchase Notes from the Company as principal, immediately upon
             notice to the Company, at any time prior to the Settlement Date
             relating thereto, if (i) there has been, since the date of such
             agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is
             given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the
             condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business
             affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
             considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
             ordinary course of business, or (ii) there has occurred any
             material adverse change in the financial markets in the United
             States or, if such Notes are denominated and/or payable in, or
             indexed to, one or more foreign or composite currencies, in the
             international financial markets, or any outbreak of hostilities or
             escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or
             development or event involving a prospective change in national or
             international political, financial or economic conditions, in each
             case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of
             such Agent(s), impracticable to market such Notes or enforce
             contracts for the sale of such Notes, or (iii) trading in any
             securities of the Company has been suspended or limited by the
             Commission or a national securities exchange, or if trading
             generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock
             Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or
             limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed,
             or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by either of said
             exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the NASD
             or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a banking moratorium
             has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities or by
             the relevant authorities in the country or countries of origin of
             any foreign or composite currency in which such Notes are
             denominated and/or payable, or (v) the rating assigned by any
             nationally recognized statistical rating organization to the
             Program or any debt securities (including the Notes) of the Company
             as of the date of such agreement shall have been lowered or
             withdrawn since that date or if any such rating organization shall
             have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review
             its rating of the Program or any such debt securities, or (vi)
             there shall have come to the attention of such Agent(s) any facts
             that would cause such Agent(s) to believe that the Prospectus, at
             the time it was required to be delivered to a purchaser of such
             Notes, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
             to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
             therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time of
             such delivery, not misleading.




                                       25


   26
        c.   GENERAL. In the event of any such termination, neither party will
             have any liability to the other party hereto, except that (i) the
             Agents shall be entitled to any commissions earned in accordance
             with the third paragraph of Section 3(b) hereof, (ii) if at the
             time of termination (a) any Agent shall own any Notes purchased by
             it from the Company as principal or (b) an offer to purchase any of
             the Notes has been accepted by the Company but the time of delivery
             to the purchaser or his agent of such Notes relating thereto has
             not occurred, the covenants set forth in Sections 4 and 7 hereof
             shall remain in effect until such Notes are so resold or delivered,
             as the case may be, and (iii) the covenant set forth in Section
             4(i) hereof, the provisions of Section 10 hereof, the indemnity and
             contribution agreements set forth in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, and
             the provisions of Sections 11, 14 and 15 hereof shall remain in
             effect.

13.     NOTICES.

        Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices required under the terms
and provisions hereof shall be in writing, either delivered by hand, by mail or
by telex, telecopier or telegram, and any such notice shall be effective when
received at the address specified below.

        If to the Company:

               Cabot Corporation
               75 State Street
               Boston, MA 02109
               Attention: Treasurer
               Telecopy No.: 617-342-6208

        with a copy to:

               Cabot Corporation
               75 State Street
               Boston, MA 02109
               Attention: General Counsel
               Telecopy No.: 617-342-6039

        If to the Agents:

               Merrill Lynch & Co.
               Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
               World Financial Center
               North Tower - 10th Floor
               New York, New York 10281-1310
               Attention: MTN Product Management
               Telecopy No.: (212) 449-2234



                                       26

   27
               Goldman, Sachs & Co.
               85 Broad Street
               New York, NY 10004
               Attention: Credit Department, Credit Control -- Medium-Term Notes
               Telecopy No.: (212) 346-2793

               J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
               60 Wall Street
               New York, New York 10260
               Attention: Medium-Term Note Department
               Telecopy No.: (212) 648-5909

or at such other address as such party may designate from time to time by notice
duly given in accordance with the terms of this Section 13.

14.     PARTIES.

        This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
Agents and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or
mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any
person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective
successors and the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in
Sections 8 and 9 hereof and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions
hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties
hereto and their respective successors, and said controlling persons, officers
and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of
no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Notes shall be deemed to
be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

15.     GOVERNING LAW; FORUM.

        THIS AGREEMENT AND ALL THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES. ANY SUIT, ACTION OR
PROCEEDING BROUGHT BY THE COMPANY AGAINST ANY AGENT IN CONNECTION WITH OR
ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT SOLELY IN THE STATE OR FEDERAL
COURT OF APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION LOCATED IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, THE CITY
OF NEW YORK.

16.     EFFECT OF HEADINGS.

        The Article and Section headings herein are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction hereof.




                                       27

   28
17.     COUNTERPARTS.

        This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if
executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts hereof shall
constitute a single instrument.







                                       28


   29
        If the foregoing is in accordance with the Agents' understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this Distribution Agreement, along with all counterparts, will become a binding
agreement among the Agents and the Company in accordance with its terms.


                                                 Very truly yours,

                                                 CABOT CORPORATION



                                                 By: ___________________________
                                                     Name:
                                                     Title:



CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
 as of the date first above written:


MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED


By: _________________________________
    Authorized Signatory



GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.


By: _________________________________
    Authorized Signatory



J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.


By: _________________________________
    Authorized Signatory




                                       29

   30
                                   SCHEDULE A

        As compensation for the services of the Agents hereunder, the Company
shall pay the applicable Agent, on a discount basis, a commission for the sale
of each Note equal to the principal amount of such Note multiplied by the
appropriate percentage set forth below:

PERCENT OF MATURITY RANGES PRINCIPAL AMOUNT - --------------- ---------------- From 9 months to less than 1 year.............................. .125% From 1 year to less than 18 months............................. .150 From 18 months to less than 2 years............................ .200 From 2 years to less than 3 years.............................. .250 From 3 years to less than 4 years.............................. .350 From 4 years to less than 5 years.............................. .450 From 5 years to less than 6 years.............................. .500 From 6 years to less than 7 years.............................. .550 From 7 years to less than 10 years............................. .600 From 10 years to less than 15 years............................ .625 From 15 years to less than 20 years............................ .700 From 20 years to 30 years...................................... .750 Greater than 30 years.......................................... (1)
- ----------------- (1) As agreed to by the Company and the applicable Agent at the time of sale. 30 31 EXHIBIT A PRICING TERMS Principal Amount: $_______ (or principal amount of foreign or composite currency) Interest Rate or Formula: If Fixed Rate Note, Interest Rate: Interest Payment Dates: If Floating Rate Note, Interest Rate Basis(es): If LIBOR, [ ] LIBOR Reuters Page: [ ] LIBOR Telerate Page: Designated LIBOR Currency: If CMT Rate, Designated CMT Telerate Page: If Telerate Page 7052: [ ] Weekly Average [ ] Monthly Average Designated CMT Maturity Index: Index Maturity: Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any: Initial Interest Rate, if any: Initial Interest Reset Date: Interest Reset Dates: Interest Payment Dates: Maximum Interest Rate, if any: Minimum Interest Rate, if any: Fixed Rate Commencement Date, if any: Fixed Interest Rate, if any: Day Count Convention: [ ] 30/360 for the period from ______ to _______ or [ ] Actual/360 for the period from ______ to ______ Calculation Agent: Redemption Provisions: Initial Redemption Date: Initial Redemption Percentage: Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction, if any: Repayment Provisions: Optional Repayment Date(s): Original Issue Date: Stated Maturity Date: Specified Currency: Exchange Rate Agent: Authorized Denomination: Purchase Price: ___%, plus accrued interest, if any, from ___________ Price to Public: ___%, plus accrued interest, if any, from __________ Issue Price: Settlement Date and Time: 31 32 Additional/Other Terms: Also, in connection with the purchase of Notes from the Company by one or more Agents as principal, agreement as to whether the following will be required: Officers' Certificate pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Distribution Agreement. Legal Opinion pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Distribution Agreement. Comfort Letter pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Distribution Agreement. 32 33 EXHIBIT B FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S COUNSEL TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)(1) (1) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to issue and sell the Notes. The Company has been duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in, and is in good standing under the laws of, each jurisdiction (other than the State of Delaware) where the Company owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or failure to be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect upon the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. (2) Each of the current subsidiaries of the Company which is a "significant subsidiary" (as defined in Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation (except with respect to any subsidiaries incorporated in jurisdictions where the concept of good standing is not recognized); and the Company owns of record or beneficially all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each such subsidiary, to such counsel's knowledge, free and clear of any liens, encumbrances or claims. (3) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit or proceeding before any court or governmental agency, authority or body involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries which either individually or in the aggregate may reasonably be foreseen to have a material adverse effect on the business or condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and the descriptions of the actions, suits and proceedings incorporated by reference in the Prospectus fairly describe, to the extent required by applicable Exchange Act provisions, such actions, suits or proceedings as of the date made and no materially adverse change has occurred with respect to such actions, suits or proceedings. (4) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities in connection with the Registration Statement. (5) The Distribution Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. (6) The Notes have been duly authorized and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued in accordance with the Indenture and delivered by the Company, and paid for in accordance with the terms thereof, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company 33 34 entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors' rights and remedies generally, (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or law), (iii) the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, (iv) requirements that a claim with respect to any Notes payable in a foreign or composite currency (or a foreign or composite currency judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law and (v) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States (collectively, the "Enforceability Limitations"). The Indenture and the Notes conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented through the date of such opinion. (7) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to the Enforceability Limitations. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. (8) No authorization consent or approval under any law or by any regulatory authority is required for the valid issuance and sale of the Notes or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated in the Distribution Agreement (except under the so-called "blue sky" or securities laws of the several states, as to the applicability of which such counsel need express no opinion). (9) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Distribution Agreement and the Indenture, and the issuance and sale of the Notes, will not result in any violation of or be in conflict with or constitute a default under any term of (a) its charter or by-laws, (b) any statute or governmental rule or regulation or (c) to the best knowledge of such counsel, any license, permit, agreement, indenture, instrument, judgment, decree or order, in each case applicable to it so as to materially and adversely affect the financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. (10) Each of the documents incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, when it was filed with the Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. (11) The Registration Statement became effective under the Act on October 13, 1998; any required filing, as of the date hereof, of a prospectus or any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required thereby; and, to the best of my knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending under the Act. 34 35 (12) The Registration Statement (including the Prospectus contained therein) as of its effective date, and the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement as of the date hereof, other than the financial statements and the related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and the Indenture complies as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. (13) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as required. In addition, such counsel shall state that, without passing upon or assuming any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nothing has come to such counsel's attention that would lead such counsel to believe (a) that the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto (except for financial statements, supporting schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom and for the Form T-1, as to which such counsel need make no statement), at the time the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto (including the filing of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K with the Commission) became effective or at the date of any agreement of the applicable Agent(s) to purchase Notes from the Company as principal, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (b) that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements, supporting schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the date of such opinion, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. In rendering this opinion, counsel for the Company may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Delaware, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (dated and furnished to the Agents on the date of such counsel's opinion, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Agents) of other counsel that is familiar with the applicable laws and is reasonably acceptable to counsel for the Agents, and (B) as to matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent 35 36 such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. The opinion of counsel to the Company, to the extent that it relies on such opinions, certificates or other written statements, shall state that the opinion of any such other counsel or any such certificate is in form satisfactory to such counsel and, in such counsel's opinion, such counsel and the Agents are justified in relying thereon. 36
   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1











                                CABOT CORPORATION

                                     Issuer

                                       to

                       STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

                                     Trustee



                            -------------------------


                          Supplemental Indenture No. 3

                          Dated as of November 20, 1998



                            -------------------------



                                  $500,000,000
                                       of
               Series B Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More
                               from Date of Issue





          ------------------------------------------------------------

   2
         SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 3, dated as of November 20, 1998 (the
"Supplemental Indenture"), between Cabot Corporation, a corporation organized
under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the "Company"), and State
Street Bank and Trust Company, a trust company organized under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee").

                             RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

         The Company has heretofore delivered to the Trustee an Indenture, dated
as of December 1, 1987, as supplemented and amended by a First Supplemental
Indenture dated as of June 17, 1992 and a Second Supplemental Indenture dated as
of January 31, 1997 (collectively and as amended or supplemented from time to
time, the "Indenture"), between the Company and the Trustee, which has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as an exhibit to the Company's Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 33-18883), providing for the issuance
from time to time of Debt Securities of the Company (the "Securities"). The
Company intends by this Supplemental Indenture to (i) create a series of debt
securities to be issued from time to time, in an aggregate initial principal
amount not to exceed $500,000,000, entitled "Series B Medium-Term Notes Due Nine
Months or More from Date of Issue" (the "Notes") and (ii) establish the form and
the terms and conditions of such Notes.

         Section 2.01 of the Indenture provides for various matters with respect
to any series of Securities issued under the Indenture to be established in an
indenture supplemental to the Indenture.

         Section 9.01(7) of the Indenture provides for the Company and the
Trustee to enter into an indenture supplemental to the Indenture to establish
the form or terms of Securities of any series as provided by Section 2.01 of the
Indenture.

         The Board of Directors of the Company has duly adopted resolutions
authorizing the Company to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.

         All the conditions and requirements necessary to make this Supplemental
Indenture, when duly executed and delivered, a valid and binding agreement in
accordance with its terms and for the purposes herein expressed, have been
performed and fulfilled.

         NOW, THEREFORE, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

         For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of each of
the series of Securities provided for herein by the Holders thereof, it is
mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all
Holders of the Notes or of any series thereof, as follows:


   3
                                   ARTICLE ONE

                               THE SERIES OF NOTES

         SECTION 1.1 TITLE OF THE SECURITIES.

         There shall be a series of Securities designated the Series B
Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More from Date of Issue (the "Notes").

         SECTION 1.2 LIMITATION ON AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT.

         The aggregate principal amount of the Notes shall be limited to
$500,000,000, and, except as provided in this Section and otherwise permitted by
the Indenture, the Company shall not execute and the Trustee shall not
authenticate or deliver Notes in excess of such aggregate principal amount;
provided, however, as authorized or permitted by Section 2.01 of the Indenture,
the Notes series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for the
issuance of such additional Notes as may be authorized by the Company.

         Nothing contained in this Section 1.2 or elsewhere in this Supplemental
Indenture, or in the Notes, is intended to or shall limit execution by the
Company or authentication or delivery by the Trustee of Notes under the
circumstances contemplated by Article Two of the Indenture or by Section 3.06 of
the Indenture.

         SECTION 1.3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NOTES.

         The Notes shall be governed by all the terms and conditions of the
Indenture, including, without limitation, the terms and conditions set forth in
the forms of Note referred to in Section 1.6 below, as the same may be
supplemented or, to the extent allowed by the Indenture, modified by the
additional or different terms and conditions established from time to time with
respect to the Notes in board resolutions of the Company and, in such case, such
additional or different terms and conditions shall be set forth in the Notes and
the related Pricing Supplement. All such terms and conditions set forth in such
Notes and in such Pricing Supplement are incorporated by reference into this
Supplemental Indenture.

         SECTION 1.4 DISCHARGE.

          The provisions of Section 8.01 of the Indenture, together with the
other provisions of Article Eight of the Indenture, shall be applicable to the
Notes.

         SECTION 1.5 REGISTERED SECURITIES.

         Each Note shall be issuable and transferable in fully registered
book-entry form or certificated form as specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement.

         SECTION 1.6 FORM OF NOTES.




                                        2

   4
         The Floating Rate Notes shall be substantially in the form attached as
Exhibit A hereto. The Fixed Rate Notes shall be substantially in the form
attached as Exhibit B hereto.

                                   ARTICLE TWO

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

         SECTION 2.1. RELATION TO INDENTURE.

         This Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the
Indenture.

         SECTION 2.2. RATIFICATION OF INDENTURE.

         Except as expressly modified or amended hereby, the Indenture continues
in full force and effect and is in all respects confirmed and preserved.

         SECTION 2.3. GOVERNING LAW.

         This Supplemental Indenture and each Note shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This
Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939, as amended, and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such
provisions.

         SECTION 2.4. COUNTERPARTS.

         This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but
all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.




                                        3

   5
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Third
Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers hereunto
duly authorized, all as of the day and year first written above.

                                            CABOT CORPORATION


                                            By:  /s/ Robert L. Culver
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Robert L. Culver
                                                Executive Vice President and
                                                Chief Financial Officer



                                            STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST
                                            COMPANY, as Trustee


                                            By: /s/ Ruth A. Smith
                                               --------------------------------
                                                Name: Ruth A. Smith
                                                Vice President







                                        4


   6
                                    EXHIBIT A

                                 [FACE OF NOTE]

UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY
TRUST COMPANY (THE "DEPOSITARY") (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) TO THE
ISSUER HEREOF OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT,
AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME
AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY AND ANY PAYMENT
IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF,
CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.(1)

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN CERTIFICATED
FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A
NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR
ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A
SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.(2)

REGISTERED                                                  [PRINCIPAL AMOUNT]
No. FLR-
CUSIP No:*

                                CABOT CORPORATION
                            SERIES B MEDIUM-TERM NOTE
                                 (Floating Rate)

INTEREST RATE BASIS           ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:         STATED MATURITY DATE:
OR BASES:

     IF LIBOR:                   IF CMT RATE:
     [ ] LIBOR Reuters             Designated CMT Telerate Page:
         Page:                       If Telerate Page 7052:
                                     [ ] Weekly Average
                                     [ ] Monthly Average
                                   Designated CMT Maturity Index:
     [ ]- LIBOR Telerate



- --------
  (1) This paragraph applies to global Notes only.
  (2) This paragraph applies to global Notes only.


   7
         Page:

INDEX CURRENCY:
INDEX MATURITY:          INITIAL INTEREST RATE:    % INTEREST PAYMENT
                                                   DATE(S):

SPREAD (PLUS OR          SPREAD MULTIPLIER:        INITIAL INTEREST RESET
MINUS):                                            DATE:

MINIMUM INTEREST RATE:   % MAXIMUM INTEREST        INTEREST RESET
                         RATE: %                   DATE(S):

INITIAL REDEMPTION       INITIAL REDEMPTION        ANNUAL REDEMPTION
DATE:                    PERCENTAGE: %             PERCENTAGE REDUCTION:

OPTIONAL REPAYMENT       CALCULATION AGENT:
DATE(S):



INTEREST CATEGORY:                     DAY COUNT CONVENTION:

[ ] Regular Floating Rate Note         [ ] 30/360 for the period
[ ] Floating Rate/Fixed Rate Note          from             to
     Fixed Rate Commencement Date:     [ ] Actual/360 for the period
     Fixed Interest Rate:   %              from             to

[ ] Inverse Floating Rate Note         [ ] Actual/Actual for the period
     Fixed Interest Rate:   %              from             to

[ ] Original Issue Discount Note       Applicable Interest Rate Basis:
     Issue Price:   %

SPECIFIED CURRENCY:                    AUTHORIZED DENOMINATION:
[ ] United States dollars              [ ] $1,000 and integral multiples thereof
[ ] Other:                             [ ] Other:

EXCHANGE RATE:
  U.S. $1.00 = ______

EXCHANGE RATE AGENT:

AMORTIZING SECURITY:
[  ] Yes




                                       A-2

   8
[ ] No

AMORTIZATION FORMULA:



AMORTIZATION PAYMENT DATE(S):



DEFAULT RATE:   %



ADDENDUM ATTACHED:
[ ] Yes
[ ] No



OTHER/ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS:



         CABOT CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and existing under the
laws of Delaware (hereinafter referred to as the "Company", which term includes
any successor entity under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value
received, hereby promises to pay to __________________________, or registered
assigns, the principal sum of _________________________, on the Stated Maturity
Date specified above (or any Redemption Date or Repayment Date, each as defined
below) (each such Stated Maturity Date, Redemption Date or Repayment Date being
hereinafter referred to as the "Maturity Date" with respect to the principal
repayable on such date) and to pay interest thereon, at a rate per annum equal
to the initial Interest Rate specified above until the Initial Interest Reset
Date specified above and thereafter at a rate determined in accordance with the
provisions specified above and on the reverse hereof or in an Addendum hereto
with respect to one or more Interest Rate Bases specified above until the
principal hereof is paid or duly made available for payment, and (to the extent
that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable) at the Default
Rate per annum specified above on any overdue principal, premium and/or
interest, including any overdue sinking fund or redemption payment. The Company
will pay interest in arrears on each Interest Payment Date, if any, specified
above (each, an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing with the first Interest
Payment Date next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified above, and on the
Maturity Date; provided, however, that if the Original Issue Date occurs between
a Record Date (as defined below) and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date,
interest payments will commence on the second Interest Payment Date next
succeeding the Original Issue Date to the holder of this Note on the Record Date
with respect to such second Interest Payment Date.

         Interest on this Note will accrue from, and including, the immediately
preceding Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided
for (or from, and including, the Original Issue Date if no interest has been
paid or duly provided for) to, but




                                       A-3

   9
excluding, the applicable Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date, as the
case may be (each, an "Interest Period"). The interest so payable, and
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, subject
to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to the person in whose name this
Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business
on the fifteenth calendar day (whether or not a Business Day, as defined on the
reverse hereof) immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date (the "Record
Date"); provided, however, that interest payable on the Maturity Date will be
payable to the person to whom the principal hereof and premium, if any, hereon
shall be payable. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for
("Defaulted Interest") will forthwith cease to be payable to the holder on any
Record Date, and shall be paid to the person in whose name this Note is
registered at the close of business on a special record date (the "Special
Record Date") for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the
Trustee hereinafter referred to, notice whereof shall be given to the holder of
this Note by the Trustee not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior
to such Special Record Date or may be paid at any time in any other lawful
manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on
which this Note may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such
exchange, all as more fully provided for in the Indenture.

         Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest in respect of this
Note due on the Maturity Date, or any prior date on which the principal or an
installment of principal of this Note becomes due and payable, whether by the
declaration of acceleration or otherwise, will be made in immediately available
funds upon presentation and surrender of this Note (and, with respect to any
applicable repayment of this Note, upon presentation and surrender of this Note
and a duly completed election form as contemplated on the reverse hereof) at the
office or agency maintained by the Company for that purpose in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York (the "Designated Agent"), currently the office
or agency of the Trustee; provided, however, that if the Specified Currency
specified above is other than United States dollars and such payment is to be
made in the Specified Currency in accordance with the provisions set forth
below, such payment may be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds
to an account with a bank designated by the holder hereof at least 15 calendar
days prior to the Maturity Date, provided that such bank has appropriate
facilities therefor and that this Note (and, if applicable, a duly completed
repayment election form) is presented and surrendered at the aforementioned
office or agency maintained by the Company in time for the Trustee or the
Designated Agent to make such payment in such funds in accordance with its
normal procedures. Payment of interest due on any Interest Payment Date other
than the Maturity Date will be made at the aforementioned office of agency
maintained by the Company or, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to
the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the
Security Register maintained by the Trustee or the Designated Agent; provided,
however, that a holder of U.S. $10,000,000 (or, if the Specified Currency is
other than United States dollars, the equivalent thereof in the Specified
Currency) or more in aggregate principal amount of Notes (whether having
identical or different terms and provisions) will be entitled to receive
interest payments on any Interest Payment Date other than the Maturity Date by
wire transfer of immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer
instructions have been received in writing by the Trustee or the Designated
Agent not




                                       A-4


   10
less than 15 calendar days prior to such Interest Payment Date. Any such wire
transfer instructions received by the Trustee or the Designated Agent shall
remain in effect until revoked by such holder.

         If any Interest Payment Date other than the Maturity Date would
otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Payment Date shall
be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day, except that if LIBOR is an
applicable Interest Rate Basis and such Business Day falls in the next
succeeding calendar month, such Interest Payment Date shall be the immediately
preceding Business Day. If the Maturity Date falls on a day that is not a
Business Day, the required payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest
shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect
as if made on the date such payment was due, and no interest shall accrue with
respect to such payment for the period from and after the Maturity Date to the
date of such payment on the next succeeding Business Day.

         As used herein, "Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or
Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions
are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close in The
City of New York, Chicago or Boston, Massachusetts; provided, however, that if
the Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, such day is also not
a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law,
regulation or executive order to close in the Principal Financial Center (as
defined below) of the country issuing the Specified Currency (or, if the
Specified Currency is European Currency Units ("ECU"), such day is not a day
that appears as an ECU non-settlement day on the display designated as "ISDE" on
the Reuter Monitor Money Rates Service (or a day so designated by the ECU
Banking Association), or, if ECU non-settlement days do not appear on that page
(and are not so designated), is not a day on which payments in ECU cannot be
settled in the international interbank market); provided, further, that if LIBOR
is an applicable Interest Rate Basis, such day is also a London Business Day (as
defined below). "London Business Day" means (i) if the Index Currency (as
defined below) is other than ECU, any day on which dealings in such Index
Currency are transacted in the London interbank market or (ii) if the Index
Currency is ECU, any day that does not appear as an ECU non-settlement day on
the display designated as "ISDE" on the Reuter Monitor Money Rates Service (or a
day so designated by the ECU Banking Association) or, if ECU non-settlement days
do not appear on that page (and are not so designated), is not a day on which
payments in ECU cannot be settled in the international interbank market.
"Principal Financial Center" means the capital city of the country issuing the
Specified Currency or, solely with respect to the calculation of LIBOR, the
Index Currency, except that with respect to United States dollars, Australian
dollars, Deutsche marks, Dutch guilders, Italian lire, Swiss francs and ECU, the
Principal Financial Center shall be The City of New York, Sydney, Frankfurt,
Amsterdam, Milan, Zurich and Luxembourg, respectively.

         The Company is obligated to make payments of principal, premium, if
any, and interest in respect of this Note in the Specified Currency (or, if the
Specified Currency is not at the time of such payment legal tender for the
payment of public and private debts, in such other coin or currency of the
country which issued the Specified Currency as at the time of such




                                       A-5


   11
payment is legal tender for the payment of such debts). If the Specified
Currency is other than United States dollars, except as provided below, any such
amounts so payable by the Company will be converted by the Exchange Rate Agent
specified above into United States dollars for payment to the holder of this
Note.

         If the Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, the
holder of this Note may elect to receive such amounts in such Specified
Currency. If the holder of this Note shall not have duly made an election to
receive all or a specified portion of any payment of principal, premium, if any,
and/or interest in respect of this Note in the Specified Currency, any United
States dollar amount to be received by the holder of this Note will be based on
the highest bid quotation in The City of New York received by the Exchange Rate
Agent at approximately 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second Business
Day preceding the applicable payment date from three recognized foreign exchange
dealers (one of whom may be the Exchange Rate Agent) selected by the Exchange
Rate Agent and approved by the Company for the purchase by the quoting dealer of
the Specified Currency for United States dollars for settlement on such payment
date in the aggregate amount of such Specified Currency payable to all holders
of Foreign Currency Notes scheduled to receive United States dollar payments and
at which the applicable dealer commits to execute a contract. All currency
exchange costs will be borne by the holder of this Note by deductions from such
payments. If three such bid quotations are not available, payments on this Note
will be made in the Specified Currency.

         If the Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, the
holder of this Note may elect to receive all or a specified portion of any
payment of principal, premium, if any, and/or interest in respect of this Note
in the Specified Currency by submitting a written request for such payment to
the Trustee or the Designated Agent at its corporate trust office or agency in
The City of New York on or prior to the applicable Record Date or at least 15
calendar days prior to the Maturity Date, as the case may be. Such written
request may be mailed or hand delivered or sent by cable, telex or other form of
facsimile transmission. The holder of this Note may elect to receive all or a
specified portion of all future payments in the Specified Currency in respect of
such principal, premium, if any, and/or interest and need not file a separate
election for each payment. Such election will remain in effect until revoked by
written notice to the Trustee or the Designated Agent, but written notice of any
such revocation must be received by the Trustee or the Designated Agent on or
prior to the applicable Record Date or at least 15 calendar days prior to the
Maturity Date, as the case may be. If the Specified Currency is other than
United States dollars or a composite currency and the holder of this Note shall
have duly made an election to receive all or a specified portion of any payment
of principal, premium, if any, and/or interest in respect of this Note in the
Specified Currency and if the Specified Currency is not available due to the
imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond the reasonable
control of the Company, the Company will be entitled to satisfy its obligations
to the holder of this Note by making such payment in United States dollars on
the basis of the Market Exchange Rate (as defined below) on the second Business
Day prior to such payment date or, if such Market Exchange Rate is not then
available, on the basis of the most recently available Market Exchange Rate or
as otherwise specified on the face hereof. The "Market Exchange Rate" for the
Specified Currency means



                                       A-6

   12
the noon dollar buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers for such
Specified Currency as certified for customs purposes by (or if not so certified,
as otherwise determined by) the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Any payment
made under such circumstances in United States dollars will not constitute an
Event of Default (as defined in the Indenture) with respect to this Note.

         If the Specified Currency is a composite currency and the holder of
this Note shall have duly made an election to receive all or a specified portion
of any payment of principal, premium, if any, and/or interest in respect of this
Note in the Specified Currency and if such composite currency is unavailable due
to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond the
reasonable control of the Company, then the Company will be entitled to satisfy
its obligations to the holder of this Note by making such payment in United
States dollars. The amount of each payment in United States dollars shall be
computed by the Exchange Rate Agent on the basis of the equivalent of the
composite currency in United States dollars. The component currencies of the
composite currency for this purpose (collectively, the "Component Currencies"
and each, a "Component Currency") shall be the currency amounts that were
components of the composite currency as of the last day on which the composite
currency was used. The equivalent of the composite currency in United States
dollars shall be calculated by aggregating the United States dollar equivalents
of the Component Currencies. The United States dollar equivalent of each of the
Component Currencies shall be determined by the Exchange Rate Agent on the basis
of the most recently available Market Exchange Rate for each such Component
Currency, or as otherwise specified on the face hereof.

         If the official unit of any Component Currency is altered by way of
combination or subdivision, the number of units of the currency as a Component
Currency shall be divided or multiplied in the same proportion. If two or more
Component Currencies are consolidated into a single currency, the amounts of
those currencies as Component Currencies shall be replaced by an amount in such
single currency equal to the sum of the amounts of the consolidated Component
Currencies expressed in such single currency. If any Component Currency is
divided into two or more currencies, the amount of the original Component
Currency shall be replaced by the amounts of such two or more currencies, the
sum of which shall be equal to the amount of the original Component Currency.

         All determinations referred to above made by the Exchange Rate Agent
shall be at its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be
conclusive for all purposes and binding on the holder of this Note.

         Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof and, if so specified above on the face hereof, in
the Addendum hereto, which further provisions shall have the same force and
effect as if set forth on the face hereof.

         Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained herein, if the
face of this Note specifies that an Addendum is attached hereto or that
"Other/Additional Provisions" apply to



                                       A-7

   13
this Note, this Note shall be subject to the terms set forth in such Addendum or
such "Other/Additional Provisions".

         Unless the Certificate of Authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee or its Authenticating Agent by manual signature, this Note shall not
be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any
purpose.










                                       A-8

   14
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Cabot Corporation has caused this Note to be duly
executed under its seal.



Dated:                               CABOT CORPORATION



                                     By: _____________________________________
                                         Samuel W. Bodman
                                         Chairman of the Board Chief Executive
                                         Officer

[SEAL]

Attest:



_____________________________________
Name:
Secretary


                    TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION:

         This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred
to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

                                     STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST
                                     COMPANY, as Trustee



Dated: ________________              By: _____________________________________
                                         Authorized Signatory





                                       A-9

   15
                                [REVERSE OF NOTE]

                                CABOT CORPORATION
                            SERIES B MEDIUM-TERM NOTE
                                 (Floating Rate)



         This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities (the
"Securities") of the Company issued and to be issued under an Indenture, dated
as of December 1, 1987, as supplemented and amended by a First Supplemental
Indenture dated as of June 17, 1992, a Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of
January 31, 1997 and a Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of November __,
1998 (collectively and as amended or supplemented from time to time, the
"Indenture"), between the Company and State Street Bank and Trust Company, as
trustee (the "Trustee"), which term includes any successor trustee under the
Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference
is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights,
duties and immunities thereunder of the Trust, the Trustee and the holders of
the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be,
authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the series of Securities
designated as "Series B Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More from Date of
Issue" (the "Notes"). All terms used but not defined in this Note or in an
Addendum hereto shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture
or on the face hereof, as the case may be.

         This Note is issuable only in registered form without coupons in
minimum denominations of U.S. $1,000 and integral multiples thereof or the
minimum Authorized Denomination specified on the face hereof.

         This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless otherwise
specified on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the following
two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or repayable prior to the Stated Maturity
Date.

         This Note will be subject to redemption at the option of the Company on
any date on and after the Initial Redemption Date, if any, specified on the face
hereof, in whole or from time to time in part in increments of U.S. $1,000 or
the minimum Authorized Denomination (provided that any remaining principal
amount hereof shall be at least U.S. $1,000 or such minimum Authorized
Denomination), at the Redemption Price (as defined below), together with unpaid
interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption (each, a "Redemption
Date"), on notice given not more than 60 nor less than 30 calendar days prior to
the Redemption Date and in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture. The
"Redemption Price" shall initially be the Initial Redemption Percentage
specified on the face hereof multiplied by the unpaid principal amount of this
Note to be redeemed. The Initial Redemption Percentage shall decline at each
anniversary of the Initial Redemption Date by the Annual Redemption Percentage
Reduction, if any, specified on the face hereof until the Redemption Price is
100% of the unpaid principal amount to be redeemed. In the event of redemption
of




                                      A-10

   16
this Note in part only, a new Note of like tenor for the unredeemed portion
hereof and otherwise having the same terms as this Note shall be issued in the
name of the holder hereof upon the presentation and surrender hereof.

         This Note will be subject to repayment by the Company at the option of
the holder hereof on the Optional Repayment Date(s), if any, specified on the
face hereof, in whole or in part in increments of U.S. $1,000 or the minimum
Authorized Denomination (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof
shall be at least U.S. $1,000 or such minimum Authorized Denomination), at a
repayment price equal to 100% of the unpaid principal amount to be repaid,
together with unpaid interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for repayment
(each, a "Repayment Date"). For this Note to be repaid, the Trustee or the
Designated Agent must receive at its office or agency in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, referred to on the face hereof, at least 30
days but not more than 60 days prior to the Repayment Date (i) this Note and the
form hereon entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" duly completed or (ii) a
telegram, telex, facsimile transmission, or a letter from a member of a national
securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or a
commercial bank or trust company in the United States setting forth the name of
the holder hereof, the principal amount of this Note, the principal amount of
this Note to be repaid, the certificate number or a description of the tenor and
terms of this Note, a statement that the option to elect repayment is being
exercised thereby, and a guarantee that this Note, together with the form hereon
entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" duly completed, will be received by the
Trustee or the Designated Agent not later than the fifth Business Day after the
date of such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter, provided that
such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter shall only be effective
if this Note and duly completed form are received by the Trustee or the
Designated Agent by such fifth Business Day. Exercise of such repayment option
by the holder hereof will be irrevocable. In the event of repayment of this Note
in part only, a new Note of like tenor for the unrepaid portion hereof and
otherwise having the same terms as this Note shall be issued in the name of the
holder hereof upon the presentation and surrender hereof.

         If this Note is an Original Issue Discount Note as specified on the
face hereof, the amount payable to the holder of this Note in the event of
redemption, repayment or acceleration of maturity of this Note will be equal to
the sum of (i) the Issue Price specified on the face hereof (increased by any
accruals of the Discount, as defined below) and, in the event of any redemption
of this Note (if applicable), multiplied by the Initial Redemption Percentage
(as adjusted by the Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction, if applicable) and
(ii) any unpaid interest on this Note accrued from the Original Issue Date to
the Redemption Date, Repayment Date or date of acceleration of maturity, as the
case may be. The difference between the Issue Price and 100% of the principal
amount of this Note is referred to herein as the "Discount."

         For purposes of determining the amount of Discount that has accrued as
of any Redemption Date, Repayment Date or date of acceleration of maturity of
this Note, such Discount will be accrued using a constant yield method. The
constant yield will be calculated using a 30-day month, 360-day year convention,
a compounding period that, except for the




                                      A-11

   17
Initial Period (as defined below), corresponds to the shortest period between
Interest Payment Dates (with ratable accruals within a compounding period), a
coupon rate equal to the initial coupon rate applicable to this Note and an
assumption that the maturity of this Note will not be accelerated. If the period
from the Original Issue Date to the initial Interest Payment Date (the "Initial
Period") is shorter than the compounding period for this Note, a proportionate
amount of the yield for an entire compounding period will be accrued. If the
Initial Period is longer than the compounding period, then such period will be
divided into a regular compounding period and a short period, with the short
period being treated as provided in the preceding sentence.

         The interest rate borne by this Note will be determined as follows:

         (i) Unless the Interest Category of this Note is specified on the face
hereof as a "Floating Rate/Fixed Rate Note" or an "Inverse Floating Rate Note"
or as otherwise specified as Other/Additional Provisions on the face hereof or
in an Addendum hereto, this Note shall be designated as a "Regular Floating Rate
Note" and, except as set forth below or specified on the face hereof or in an
Addendum hereto, shall bear interest at the rate determined by reference to the
applicable Interest Rate Basis or Bases (a) plus or minus the Spread, if any,
and/or (b) multiplied by the Spread Multiplier, if any, in each case as
specified on the face hereof.

         Commencing on the Initial Interest Reset Date, the rate at which
interest on this Note shall be payable shall be reset as of each Interest Reset
Date specified on the face hereof; provided, however, that the interest rate in
effect for the period, if any, from the Original Issue Date to the Initial
Interest Reset Date shall be the Initial Interest Rate.

         (ii) If the Interest Category of this Note is specified on the face
hereof as a "Floating Rate/Fixed Rate Note," then, except as set forth below or
specified on the face hereof or in an Addendum hereto, this Note shall bear
interest at the rate determined by reference to the applicable Interest Rate
Basis or Bases (a) plus or minus the Spread, if any, and/or (b) multiplied by
the Spread Multiplier, if any. Commencing on the Initial Interest Reset Date,
the rate at which interest on this Note shall be payable shall be reset as of
each Interest Reset Date; provided, however, that (y) the interest rate in
effect for the period, if any, from the Original Issue Date to the Initial
Interest Reset Date shall be the Initial Interest Rate and (z) the interest rate
in effect for the period commencing on the Fixed Rate Commencement Date
specified on the face hereof to the Maturity Date shall be the Fixed Interest
Rate specified on the face hereof or, if no such Fixed Interest Rate is
specified, the interest rate in effect hereon on the day immediately preceding
the Fixed Rate Commencement Date.

         (iii) If the Interest Category of this Note is specified on the face
hereof as an "Inverse Floating Rate Note," then, except as set forth below or
specified on the face hereof or in an Addendum hereto, this Note shall bear
interest at the Fixed Interest Rate minus the rate determined by reference to
the applicable Interest Rate Basis or Bases (a) plus or minus the Spread, if
any, and/or (b) multiplied by the Spread Multiplier, if any; provided, however,
that, unless otherwise specified on the face hereof or in an Addendum hereto,
the interest rate



                                      A-12

   18
hereon shall not be less than zero. Commencing on the Initial Interest Reset
Date, the rate at which interest on this Note shall be payable shall be reset as
of each Interest Reset Date; provided, however, that the interest rate in effect
for the period, if any, from the Original Issue Date to the Initial Interest
Reset Date shall be the Initial Interest Rate.

         Except as set forth above or specified on the face hereof or in an
Addendum hereto, the interest rate in effect on each day shall be (i) if such
day is an Interest Reset Date, the interest rate determined as of the Interest
Determination Date (as defined below) immediately preceding such Interest Reset
Date or (ii) if such day is not an Interest Reset Date, the interest rate
determined as of the Interest Determination Date immediately preceding the most
recent Interest Reset Date. If any Interest Reset Date would otherwise be a day
that is not a Business Day, such Interest Reset Date shall be postponed to the
next succeeding Business Day, except that if LIBOR is an applicable Interest
Rate Basis and such Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month,
such Interest Reset Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day. In
addition, if the Treasury Rate is an applicable Interest Rate Basis and the
Interest Determination Date would otherwise fall on an Interest Reset Date, then
such Interest Reset Date will be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day.

         The rate of interest on the related Floating Rate Note will be reset
daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually or on such other
specified basis (each, an "Interest Reset Period") and the dates on which such 
rate of interest will be reset (each, an "Interest Reset Date") shall be as
specified on the face hereof or in an Addendum hereto. Unless otherwise
specified, the Interest Reset Dates will be, in the case of Floating Rate Notes
which reset: (i) daily, each Business Day; (ii) weekly, the Wednesday of each 
week (with the exception of weekly reset Floating Rate Notes as to which the 
Treasury Rate is an applicable Interest Rate Basis, which will reset the 
Tuesday of each week, except as described below); (iii) monthly, the third
Wednesday of each month (with the exception of monthly reset Floating Rate
Notes as to which the Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate is an applicable
Interest Rate Basis, which will reset on the first calendar day of the month);
(iv) quarterly, the third Wednesday of March, June, September and December of
each year; (v) semiannually, the third Wednesday of the two months specified
herein or in an Addendum hereto; and (vi) annually, the third Wednesday of the
month specified herein or in an Addendum hereto; provided however, that, with
respect to Floating Rate/Fixed Rate Notes, the rate of interest thereon will
not reset after the applicable Fixed Rate Commencement Date. If any Interest
Reset Date for any Floating Rate Note would otherwise be a day that is not a
Business Day, such Interest Reset Date will be postponed to the next succeeding
Business Day, except that in the case of a Floating Rate Note as to which LIBOR
is an applicable Interest Rate Basis and such Business Day falls in the next
succeeding calendar month, such Interest Reset Date will be the immediately
preceding Business Day.

         The interest rate applicable to each Interest Reset Period commencing
on the related Interest Reset Date will be determined by the Calculation Agent
as of the applicable Interest Determination Date and will be calculated by the
Calculation Agent on or prior to the Calculation Date (as defined below),
except with respect to LIBOR and the Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate,
which will be calculated on such Interest Determination Date. The "Interest
Determination Date" with respect to the CD Rate, the CMT Rate, the Commercial
Paper Rate, the Federal Funds Rate and the Prime Rate will be the second
Business Day immediately preceding the applicable Interest Reset Date; the
"Interest Determination Date" with respect to the Eleventh District Cost of
Funds Rate shall be the last business day of the month immediately preceding
the applicable Interest Reset Date on which the Federal Home Loan Bank of San
Francisco (the "FHLB of San Francisco") publishes the Index (as defined below);
and the "Interest Determination Date" with respect to LIBOR shall be the second
London Business Day immediately preceding the applicable Interest Reset Date,
unless the Index Currency is British pounds sterling, in which case the
"Interest Determination Date" will be the applicable Interest Reset Date. The
"Interest Determination Date", with respect to the Treasury Rate shall be the
day in the week in which the applicable Interest Reset Date falls on which day
Treasury Bills (as defined below) are normally auctioned (Treasury Bills are
normally sold at an auction held on Monday of each week, unless that day is a
legal holiday, in which case the auction is normally held on the following
Tuesday, except that such auction may be held on the preceding Friday);
provided, however, that if an auction is held on the Friday of the week
preceding the applicable Interest Reset Date, the "Interest Determination Date"
shall be such preceding Friday; provided, further, that if the Interest
Determination Date would otherwise fall on an Interest Reset Date, then such
Interest Reset Date will be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day. If
the interest rate of this Note is determined with reference to two or more
Interest Rate Bases specified on the face hereof, the "Interest Determination
Date" pertaining to this Note shall be the most recent Business Day which is at
least two Business Days prior to the applicable Interest Reset Date on which
each Interest Rate



                                      A-13

   19
Basis is determinable. Each Interest Rate Basis shall be determined as of such
date, and the applicable interest rate shall take effect on the applicable
Interest Reset Date.

         Unless otherwise specified on the face hereof or in an Addendum hereto,
the rate with respect to each Interest Rate Basis will be determined in
accordance with the following provisions.

         CD Rate. If an Interest Rate Basis for this Note is specified on the
face hereof as the CD Rate, the CD Rate shall be determined as of the applicable
Interest Determination Date (a "CD Rate Interest Determination Date") as the
rate on such date for negotiable United States dollar certificates of deposit
having the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof as published by the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in "Statistical Release H.15(519),
Selected Interest Rates" or any successor publication ("H.15(519)") under the
heading "CDS (Secondary Market)," or, if not published by 3:00 P.M., New York
City time, on the related Calculation Date, the rate on such CD Rate Interest
Determination Date for negotiable United States dollar certificates of deposit
of the Index Maturity as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in
its daily statistical release "Composite 3:30 P.M. Quotations for United States
Government Securities" or any successor publication ("Composite Quotations")
under the heading "Certificates of Deposit." If such rate is not yet published
in either H.15(519) or Composite Quotations by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on
the related Calculation Date, then the CD Rate on such CD Rate Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent specified on the
face hereof and will be the arithmetic mean of the secondary market offered
rates as of 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on such CD Rate Interest
Determination Date, of three leading nonbank dealers in negotiable United States
dollar certificates of deposit in The City of New York selected by the
Calculation Agent for negotiable United States dollar certificates of deposit of
major United States money center banks in the market for negotiable United
States dollar certificates of deposit with a remaining maturity closest to the
Index Maturity in an amount that is representative for a single transaction in
that market at that time; provided, however, that if the dealers so selected by
the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the CD Rate
determined as of such CD Rate Interest Determination Date will be the CD Rate in
effect on such CD Rate Interest Determination Date.

         CMT Rate. If an Interest Rate Basis for this Note is specified on the
face hereof as the CMT Rate, the CMT Rate shall be determined as of the
applicable Interest Determination Date (a "CMT Rate Interest Determination
Date") as the rate displayed on the Designated CMT Telerate Page (as defined
below) under the caption ". . . Treasury Constant Maturities . . . Federal
Reserve Board Release H.15 . . . Mondays Approximately 3:45 P.M.," under the
column for the Designated CMT Maturity Index (as defined below) for (i) if the
Designated CMT Telerate Page is 7055, the rate on such CMT Rate Interest
Determination Date and (ii) if the Designated CMT Telerate Page is 7052, the
weekly or monthly average, as specified on the face hereof, for the week or
month, as applicable, ended immediately preceding the week or month, as
applicable, in which the related CMT Rate Interest Determination Date occurs. If
such rate is no longer displayed on the relevant page or is not displayed by
3:00 P.M., New



                                      A-14

   20
York City time, on the related Calculation Date, then the CMT Rate for such CMT
Rate Interest Determination Date will be such treasury constant maturity rate
for the Designated CMT Maturity Index as published in H.15(519). If such rate is
no longer published or is not published by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the
related Calculation Date, then the CMT Rate on such CMT Rate Interest
Determination Date will be such treasury constant maturity rate for the
Designated CMT Maturity Index (or other United States Treasury rate for the
Designated CMT Maturity Index) for the CMT Rate Interest Determination Date with
respect to such Interest Reset Date as may then be published by either the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the United States Department of
the Treasury that the Calculation Agent determines to be comparable to the rate
formerly displayed on the Designated CMT Telerate Page and published in
H.15(519). If such information is not provided by 3:00 P.M., New York City time,
on the related Calculation Date, then the CMT Rate on the CMT Rate Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be a
yield to maturity, based on the arithmetic mean of the secondary market closing
offer side prices as of approximately 3:30 P.M., New York City time, on such CMT
Rate Interest Determination Date reported, according to their written records,
by three leading primary United States government securities dealers (each, a
"Reference Dealer") in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent
(from five such Reference Dealers selected by the Calculation Agent and
eliminating the highest quotation (or, in the event of equality, one of the
highest) and the lowest quotation (or, in the event of equality, one of the
lowest)), for the most recently issued direct noncallable fixed rate obligations
of the United States ("Treasury Notes") with an original maturity of
approximately the Designated CMT Maturity Index and a remaining term to maturity
of not less than such Designated CMT Maturity Index minus one year. If the
Calculation Agent is unable to obtain three such Treasury Note quotations, the
CMT Rate on such CMT Rate Interest Determination Date will be calculated by the
Calculation Agent and will be a yield to maturity based on the arithmetic mean
of the secondary market offer side prices as of approximately 3:30 P.M., New
York City time, on such CMT Rate Interest Determination Date of three Reference
Dealers in The City of New York (from five such Reference Dealers selected by
the Calculation Agent and eliminating the highest quotation (or, in the event of
equality, one of the highest) and the lowest quotation (or, in the event of
equality, one of the lowest)), for Treasury Notes with an original maturity of
the number of years that is the next highest to the Designated CMT Maturity
Index and a remaining term to maturity closest to the Designated CMT Maturity
Index and in an amount of at least U.S. $100 million. If three or four (and not
five) of such Reference Dealers are quoting as described above, then the CMT
Rate will be based on the arithmetic mean of the offer prices obtained and
neither the highest nor the lowest of such quotes will be eliminated; provided,
however, that if fewer than three Reference Dealers selected by the Calculation
Agent are quoting as mentioned herein, the CMT Rate determined as of such CMT
Rate Interest Determination Date will be the CMT Rate in effect on such CMT Rate
Interest Determination Date. If two Treasury Notes with an original maturity as
described in the second preceding sentence have remaining terms to maturity
equally close to the Designated CMT Maturity Index, the Calculation Agent will
obtain quotations for the Treasury Note with the shorter remaining term to
maturity and will use such quotations to calculate the CMT Rate as set forth
above.





                                      A-15

   21
         "Designated CMT Telerate Page" means the display on the Dow Jones
Telerate Service (or any successor service) on the page specified on the face
hereof (or any other page as may replace such page on that service (or any
successor service) for the purpose of displaying Treasury Constant Maturities as
reported in H.15(519)). If no such page is specified on the face hereof, the
Designated CMT Telerate Page shall be 7052, for the most recent week.

         "Designated CMT Maturity Index" means the original period to maturity
of the United States Treasury securities (either one, two, three, five, seven,
10, 20 or 30 years) specified on the face hereof with respect to which the CMT
Rate will be calculated. If no such maturity is specified on the face hereof,
the Designated CMT Maturity Index shall be two years.

         Commercial Paper Rate. If an Interest Rate Basis for this Note is
specified on the face hereof as the Commercial Paper Rate, the Commercial Paper
Rate shall be determined as of the applicable Interest Determination Date (a
"Commercial Paper Rate Interest Determination Date") as the Money Market Yield
(as defined below) on such date of the rate for commercial paper having the
Index Maturity as published in H.15(519) under the heading "Commercial Paper -
NonFinancial."

          In the event that such rate is not published by 3:00 P.M., New York
City time, on the related Calculation Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate on
such Commercial Paper Rate Interest Determination Date will be the Money Market
Yield of the rate or commercial paper having the Index Maturity as published in
Composite Quotations under the heading "Commercial Paper" (with an Index
Maturity of one month or three months being deemed to be equivalent to an Index
Maturity of 30 days or 90 days, respectively). If such rate is not yet published
in either H.15(519) or Composite Quotations by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on
the related Calculation Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate on such Commercial
Paper Rate Interest Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation
Agent and shall be the Money Market Yield of the arithmetic mean of the offered
rates at approximately 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Commercial Paper
Rate Interest Determination Date of three leading dealers of commercial paper in
The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for commercial paper
having the Index Maturity placed for an industrial issuer whose bond rating is
"Aa," or the equivalent, from a nationally recognized statistical rating
organization; provided, however, that if the dealers so selected by the
Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the Commercial
Paper Rate determined as of such Commercial Paper Rate Interest Determination
Date will be the Commercial Paper Rate in effect on such Commercial Paper Rate
Interest Determination Date.

         "Money Market Yield" means a yield (expressed as a percentage)
calculated in accordance with the following formula:

                                   D x 360
         Money Market Yield =   -------------  x 100
                                360 - (D x M)



                                      A-16

   22
where "D" refers to the applicable per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on
a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal, and "M" refers to the actual
number of days in the Interest Period for which interest is being calculated.

         Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate. If an Interest Rate Basis for
this Note is specified on the face hereof as the Eleventh District Cost of Funds
Rate, the Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate shall be determined as of the
applicable Interest Determination Date (an "Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate
Interest Determination Date") as the rate equal to the monthly weighted average
cost of funds for the calendar month immediately preceding the month in which
such Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate Interest Determination Date falls, as
set forth under the caption "llth District" on Telerate Page 7058 as of 11:00
A.M., San Francisco time, on such Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate Interest
Determination Date. If such rate does not appear on Telerate Page 7058 on such
Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate Interest Determination Date, then the
Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate on such Eleventh District Cost of Funds
Rate Interest Determination Date shall be the monthly weighted average cost of
funds paid by member institutions of the Eleventh Federal Home Loan Bank
District that was most recently announced (the "Index") by the FHLB of San
Francisco as such cost of funds for the calendar month immediately preceding
such Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate Interest Determination Date. If the
FHLB of San Francisco fails to announce the Index on or prior to such Eleventh
District Cost of Funds Rate Interest Determination Date for the calendar month
immediately preceding such Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate Interest
Determination Date, the Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate determined as of
such Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate Interest Determination Date will be
the Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate in effect on such Eleventh District
Cost of Funds Rate Interest Determination Date.

         Federal Funds Rate. If an Interest Rate Basis for this Note is
specified on the face hereof as the Federal Funds Rate, the Federal Funds Rate
shall be determined as of the applicable Interest Determination Date (a "Federal
Funds Rate Interest Determination Date") as the rate on such date for United
States dollar federal funds as published in H.15(519) under the heading "Federal
Funds (Effective)" or, if not published by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the
Calculation Date, the rate on such Federal Funds Rate Interest Determination
Date as published in Composite Quotations under the heading "Federal
Funds/Effective Rate." If such rate is not published in either H.15(519) or
Composite Quotations by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related
Calculation Date, then the Federal Funds Rate on such Federal Funds Interest
Determination Date shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be the
arithmetic mean of the rates for the last transaction in overnight United States
dollar federal funds arranged by three leading brokers of federal funds
transactions in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent, prior to
9:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Federal Funds Rate Interest Determination
Date; provided, however, that if the brokers so selected by the Calculation
Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the Federal Funds Rate
determined as of such Federal Funds Rate Interest Determination Date will be the
Federal Funds Rate in effect on such Federal Funds Rate Interest Determination
Date.



                                      A-17

   23
         LIBOR. If an Interest Rate Basis for this Note is specified on the face
hereof as LIBOR, LIBOR shall be determined by the Calculation Agent as of the
applicable Interest Determination Date (a "LIBOR Interest Determination Date")
in accordance with the following provisions:

              (i)   if (a) "LIBOR Reuters" is specified on the face hereof, the
         arithmetic mean of the offered rates (unless the Designated LIBOR Page
         (as defined below) by its terms provides only for a single rate, in
         which case such single rate will be used) for deposits in the Index
         Currency having the Index Maturity, commencing on the applicable
         Interest Reset Date, that appear (or, if only a single rate is required
         as aforesaid, appears) on the Designated LIBOR Page (as defined below)
         as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on such LIBOR Interest Determination
         Date, or (b) "LIBOR Telerate" is specified on the face hereof, or if
         neither "LIBOR Reuters" nor "LIBOR Telerate" is specified on the face
         hereof as the method for calculating LIBOR, the rate for deposits in
         the Index Currency having the Index Maturity, commencing on such
         Interest Reset Date, that appears on the Designated LIBOR Page as of
         11:00 A.M., London time, on such LIBOR Interest Determination Date. If
         fewer than two such offered rates appear, or if no such rate appears,
         as applicable, LIBOR on such LIBOR Interest Determination Date shall be
         determined in accordance with the provisions described in clause (ii)
         below.

              (ii)   With respect to a LIBOR Interest Determination Date on
         which fewer than two offered rates appear, or no rate appears, as the
         case may be, on the Designated LIBOR Page as specified in clause (i)
         above, the Calculation Agent shall request the principal London offices
         of each of four major reference banks in the London interbank market,
         as selected by the Calculation Agent, to provide the Calculation Agent
         with its offered quotation for deposits in the Index Currency for the
         period of the Index Maturity, commencing on the applicable Interest
         Reset Date, to prime banks in the London interbank market at
         approximately 11:00 A.M., London time, on such LIBOR Interest
         Determination Date and in a principal amount that is representative for
         a single transaction in such Index Currency in such market at such
         time. If at least two such quotations are so provided, then LIBOR on
         such LIBOR Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of
         such quotations. If fewer than two such quotations are so provided,
         then LIBOR on such LIBOR Interest Determination Date will be the
         arithmetic mean of the rates quoted at approximately 11:00 A.M., in the
         applicable Principal Financial Center, on such LIBOR Interest
         Determination Date by three major banks in such Principal Financial
         Center selected by the Calculation Agent for loans in the Index
         Currency to leading European banks, having the Index Maturity and in a
         principal amount that is representative for a single transaction in
         such Index Currency in such market at such time; provided, however,
         that if the banks so selected by the Calculation Agent are not quoting
         as mentioned in this sentence, LIBOR determined as of such LIBOR
         Interest Determination Date shall be LIBOR in effect on such LIBOR
         Interest Determination Date.




                                      A-18


   24
         "Index Currency" means the currency or composite currency specified on
the face hereof as to which LIBOR shall be calculated.

If no such currency or composite currency is specified on the face hereof, the
Index Currency shall be United States dollars.

         "Designated LIBOR Page" means (a) if "LIBOR Reuters" is specified on
the face hereof, the display on the Reuter Monitor Money Rates Service (or any
successor service) on the page specified on the face hereof (or any other page
as may replace such page on such service (or any successor service)), for the
purpose of displaying the London interbank rates of major banks for the Index
Currency, or (b) if "LIBOR Telerate" is specified on the face hereof or neither
"LIBOR Reuters" nor "LIBOR Telerate" is specified on the face hereof as the
method for calculating LIBOR, the display on the Dow Jones Telerate Service (or
any successor service) on the page specified on the face hereof (or any other
page as may replace such page on such service (or any successor service)), for
the purpose of displaying the London interbank rates of major banks for the
applicable Index Currency.

         Prime Rate. If an Interest Rate Basis for this Note is specified on the
face hereto as the Prime Rate, the Prime Rate shall be determined as of the
applicable Interest Determination Date (a "Prime Rate Interest Determination
Date") as the rate on such date as such rate is published in H.15(519) under the
heading "Bank Prime Loan." If such rate is not published prior to 3:00 P.M., New
York City time, on the related Calculation Date, then the Prime Rate shall be
the arithmetic mean of the rates of interest publicly announced by each bank
that appears on the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page (as defined below) as such
bank's prime rate or base lending rate as in effect for such Prime Rate Interest
Determination Date. If fewer than four such rates appear on the Reuters Screen
USPRIME1 Page for such Prime Rate Interest Determination Date, then the Prime
Rate shall be the arithmetic mean of the prime rates quoted on the basis of the
actual number of days in the year divided by a 360-day year as of the close of
business on such Prime Rate Interest Determination Date by four major money
center banks in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent. If fewer
than four such quotations are so provided, the Prime Rate shall be the
arithmetic mean of four prime rates quoted on the basis of the actual number of
days in the year divided by a 360-day year as of the close of business on such
Prime Rate Interest Determination Date as furnished in The City of New York by
the major money center banks, if any, that have provided such quotations and by
a reasonable number of substitute banks or trust companies to obtain four such
prime rate quotations, provided such substitute banks or trust companies are
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, or any State
thereof, each having total equity capital of at least U.S.$500 million and being
subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority, selected by
the Calculation Agent to provide such rate or rates; provided, however, that if
the banks or trust companies so selected by the Calculation Agent are not
quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the Prime Rate determined as of such
Prime Rate Interest Determination Date will be the Prime Rate in effect on such
Prime Rate Interest Determination Date.



                                      A-19


   25
         "Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page" means the display designated as page
"USPRIME1" on the Reuter Monitor Money Rates Service (or any successor service)
(or such other page as may replace the USPRIME1 page on such service (or any
successor service) for the purpose of displaying prime rates or base lending
rates of major United States banks).

         Treasury Rate. If an Interest Rate Basis for this Note is specified on
the face hereof as the Treasury Rate, the Treasury Rate shall be determined as
of the applicable Interest Determination Date (a "Treasury Rate Interest
Determination Date") as the rate from the auction held on such Treasury Rate
Interest Determination Date (the "Auction") of direct obligations of the United
States ("Treasury Bills") having the Index Maturity, as such rate is published
in H.15(519) under the heading "Treasury bills-auction average (investment)" or,
if not published by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related Calculation
Date, the auction average rate of such Treasury Bills (expressed as a bond
equivalent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and applied
on a daily basis) as otherwise announced by the United States Department of the
Treasury. In the event that the results of the Auction of Treasury Bills having
the Index Maturity are not reported as provided above by 3:00 P.M., New York
City time, on such Calculation Date, or if no such Auction is held, then the
Treasury Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be a yield
to maturity (expressed as a bond equivalent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366
days, as applicable, and applied on a daily basis) of the arithmetic mean of the
secondary market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30 P.M., New York City time,
on such Treasury Rate Interest Determination Date, of three leading primary
United States government securities dealers selected by the Calculation Agent,
for the issue of Treasury Bills with a remaining maturity closest to the Index
Maturity; provided, however, that if the dealers so selected by the Calculation
Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the Treasury Rate
determined as of such Treasury Rate Interest Determination Date will be the
Treasury Rate in effect on such Treasury Rate Interest Determination Date.

         Notwithstanding the foregoing, the interest rate hereon shall not be
greater than the Maximum Interest Rate, if any, or less than the Minimum
Interest Rate, if any, in each case as specified on the face hereof. The
interest rate on this Note will in no event be higher than the maximum rate
permitted by New York law, as the same may be modified by United States law of
general application.

         Unless otherwise specified herein or in an Addendum, the Trustee will 
be the "Calculation Agent."  The "Calculation Date," if applicable, pertaining
to any Interest Determination Date shall be the earlier of (i) the tenth
calendar day after such Interest Determination Date or, if such day is not a
Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day or (ii) the Business Day
immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date,
as the case may be. At the request of the Holder hereof, the Calculation Agent
will provide to the Holder hereof the interest rate hereon then in effect and,
if determined, the interest rate that will become effective as a result of a
determination made for the next succeeding Interest Reset Date.



                                      A-20

   26
         Accrued interest hereon shall be an amount calculated by multiplying
the principal amount hereof by an accrued interest factor. Such accrued interest
factor shall be computed by adding the interest factor calculated for each day
in the applicable Interest Period. Unless otherwise specified as the Day Count
Convention on the face hereof, the interest factor for each such date shall be
computed by dividing the interest rate applicable to such day by 360 if the CD
Rate, the Commercial Paper Rate, the Eleventh District Cost of Funds Rate, the
Federal Funds Rate, LIBOR or the Prime Rate is an applicable Interest Rate Basis
or by the actual number of days in the year if the CMT Rate or the Treasury Rate
is an applicable Interest Rate Basis. Unless otherwise specified as the Day
Count Convention on the face hereof, the interest factor for this Note, if the
interest rate is calculated with reference to two or more Interest Rate Bases,
shall be calculated in each period in the same manner as if only the Applicable
Interest Rate Basis specified on the face hereof applied. All percentages
resulting from any calculation on this Note shall be rounded to the nearest one
hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with five one-millionths of a
percentage point rounded upwards (e.g., 9.876545% (or .09876545) would be
rounded to 9.87655% (or .0987655)), and all amounts used in or resulting from
such calculation on this Note shall be rounded, in the case of United States
dollars, to the nearest cent or, in the case of a Specified Currency other than
United States dollars or a composite currency, to the nearest unit (with
one-half cent or unit being rounded upwards).

         If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall occur and be
continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the
manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance of (i) the entire
indebtedness of the Notes or (ii) certain covenants and Events of Default with
respect to the Notes, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set
forth therein, which provisions apply to the Notes.

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the holders of the Securities at any time by the
Company and the Trustee with the consent of the holders of not less than a
majority of the aggregate principal amount of all Securities at the time
outstanding and affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions
permitting the holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal
amount of the outstanding Securities of any series, on behalf of the holders of
all such Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions
of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the holders of
not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
Securities of any series, in certain instances, to waive, on behalf of all of
the holders of Securities of such series, certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the holder of
this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future
holders of this Note and other Notes issued upon the registration of transfer
hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such
consent or waiver is made upon this Note.



                                      A-21

   27
         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest in
respect of this Note at the times, places and rate or formula, and in the coin
or currency, herein prescribed.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
and herein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Security
Register of the Company upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer
at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal hereof
and any premium or interest hereon are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied
by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the
Security Registrar, duly executed by, the holder hereof or by his attorney duly
authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized
denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the
designated transferee or transferees.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
and herein set forth, this Note is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal
amount of Notes of different authorized denominations but otherwise having the
same terms and conditions, as requested by the holder hereof surrendering the
same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the
Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the
holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner thereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

         This Note and all documents, agreements, understandings and
arrangements relating to any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby have
been executed or entered into by the undersigned in his/her capacity as an
officer of the sole general partner of the Company which has been formed as a
Delaware limited Company, and not individually, and neither the general partner,
officers, employees or limited partners of the Company shall be bound or have
any personal liability hereunder or thereunder. The holder of this Note by
accepting this Note waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and
release are part of the consideration for the issue of this Note. Each party
hereto shall look solely to the assets of the Company for satisfaction of any
liability of the Company in respect of this Note and all documents, agreements,
understandings and arrangements relating to any transaction contemplated hereby
or thereby and will not seek recourse or commence any action against any of the
general partner, officers, employees or limited partners of the Company or any
of their personal assets for the performance or payment of any obligation
hereunder or thereunder. The foregoing shall




                                      A-22


   28
also apply to any future documents, agreements, understandings, arrangements and
transactions between the parties hereto.

         The Indenture and this Note shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without regard to
principles of conflicts of laws.





                                      A-23


   29
                                  ABBREVIATIONS

         The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this Note, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

         TEN COM - as tenants in common
         TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties
         JT TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants
         in common
         UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - ____________ Custodian _____________
                                (Cust)                 (Minor)
         Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act _____________________
                                                 (State)

         Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.




                                      A-24

   30
                                   ASSIGNMENT

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
   IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE


______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of
assignee)


________________________________________________________________________________
this Note and all rights thereunder hereby irrevocably constituting and
appointing ____________________________________________ Attorney to transfer
this Note on the books of the Trustee, with full power
________________________________________________________________________________
of substitution in the premises.

Dated: _____________________

         NOTICE: The signature(s) on this Assignment must correspond with the
name(s) as written upon the face of this Note in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.





                                      A-25


   31
                            OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT

         The undersigned hereby irrevocably request(s) and instruct(s) the
Company to repay this Note (or portion hereof specified below) pursuant to its
terms at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid, together
with unpaid interest accrued hereon to the Repayment Date, to the undersigned,
at

________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print or typewrite name and address of the undersigned)

         For this Note to be repaid, the Trustee or the Designated Agent must
receive at its corporate trust office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The
City of New York, this Note with this "Option to Elect Repayment" form duly
completed.

         If less than the entire principal amount of this Note is to be repaid,
specify the portion hereof (which shall be increments of U.S. $1,000 (or, if the
Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, the minimum Authorized
Denomination specified on the face hereof)) which the holder elects to have
repaid and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall be an
Authorized Denomination) of the Notes to be issued to the holder for the portion
of this Note not being repaid (in the absence of any such specification, one
such Note will be issued for the portion not being repaid).

Principal Amount
to be Repaid:  $___________________

Date: _________________              Notice: The signature(s) on this Option to
                                     Elect Repayment must correspond with the
                                     name(s) as written upon the face of this
                                     Note in every particular, without
                                     alteration or enlargement or any change
                                     whatsoever.





                                      A-26

   32
                                    EXHIBIT B

                                 [FACE OF NOTE]


UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY
TRUST COMPANY (THE "DEPOSITARY") (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) TO THE
ISSUER HEREOF OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT,
AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME
AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY AND ANY PAYMENT
IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF,
CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.(3)

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN CERTIFICATED
FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A
NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR
ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A
SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.(4)

REGISTERED                                                    [PRINCIPAL AMOUNT]
No. FXR-
CUSIP:*


                                CABOT CORPORATION
                            SERIES B MEDIUM-TERM NOTE
                                  (Fixed Rate)


ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:        INTEREST RATE:      %        STATED MATURITY
INTEREST PAYMENT            DEFAULT RATE:       %        DATE:
DATE(S) ____ and ____ 
Other:

INITIAL REDEMPTION          INITIAL REDEMPTION           ANNUAL REDEMPTION
DATE:                       PERCENTAGE:         %        PERCENTAGE
                                                         REDUCTION:          %

- --------
  (3) This paragraph applies to global Notes only.

  (4) This paragraph applies to global Notes only.





                                       B-1

   33
OPTIONAL REPAYMENT             CHECK IF AN ORIGINAL
DATE(S)                        ISSUE DISCOUNT NOTE
                                Issue Price:    %

REPAYMENT PRICE:    %

SPECIFIED CURRENCY:            AUTHORIZED                       EXCHANGE RATE
 [ ] United States dollars     DENOMINATION:                    AGENT:
 [ ] Other:                    [ ] $1,000 and integral
                                   multiples thereof
                               [ ] Other:

EXCHANGE RATE:                 ADDENDUM ATTACHED:               OTHER/ADDITIONAL
 U.S. $1.00 = ________         [ ] Yes                          PROVISIONS:
                               [ ] No



         CABOT CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and existing under the
laws of Delaware (hereinafter referred to as the "Company," which term includes
any successor entity under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value
received, hereby promises to pay to _______________________, or registered
assigns, the principal sum of _____________________, on the Stated Maturity Date
specified above (or any Redemption Date or Repayment Date, each as defined on
the reverse hereof) (each such Stated Maturity Date, Redemption Date or
Repayment Date being hereinafter referred to as the "Maturity Date" with respect
to the principal repayable on such date) and to pay interest thereon, at the
Interest Rate per annum specific above, until the principal hereof is paid or
duly made available for payment, and (to the extent that the payment of such
interest shall be legally enforceable) at the Default Rate per annum specified
above on any overdue principal, premium and/or interest, including any overdue
sinking fund or redemption payment. The Company will pay interest in arrears on
each Interest Payment Date, if any, specified above (each, an "Interest Payment
Date"), commencing with the first Interest Payment Date next succeeding the
Original Issue Date specified above, and on the Maturity Date; provided,
however, that if the Original Issue Date occurs between a Record Date (as
defined below) and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments
will commence on the second Interest Payment Date next succeeding the Original
Issue Date to the holder of this Note on the Record Date with respect to such
second Interest Payment Date. Interest on this Note will be computed on the
basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

         Interest on this Note will accrue from, and including, the immediately
preceding Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided
for (or from, and including, the Original Issue Date if no interest has been
paid or duly provided for) to, but excluding, the applicable Interest Payment
Date or the Maturity Date, as the case may be (each, an "Interest Period"). The
interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest
Payment Date will, subject to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to




                                       B-2


   34
the person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is
registered at the close of business on the fifteenth calendar day (whether or
not a Business Day, as defined below) immediately preceding such Interest
Payment Date (the "Record Date"); provided, however, that interest payable on
the Maturity Date will be payable to the person to whom the principal hereto and
premium, if any, hereon shall be payable. Any such interest not so punctually
paid or duly provided for ("Defaulted Interest") will forthwith cease to be
payable to the holder on any Record Date, and shall be paid to the person in
whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on a special record
date (the "Special Record Date") for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to
be fixed by the Trustee hereinafter referred to, notice whereof shall be given
to the holder of this Note by the Trustee not more than 15 days and not less
than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date or may be paid at any time in any
other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities
exchange on which this Note may be listed, and upon such notice as may be
required by such exchange, all as more fully provided for in the Indenture.

         Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest in respect of this
Note due on the Maturity Date or any prior date on which the principal or an
installment of principal of this Note becomes due and payable, whether by the
declaration of acceleration or otherwise, will be made in immediately available
funds upon presentation and surrender of this Note (and, with respect to any
applicable repayment of this Note, upon presentation and surrender of this Note
and a duly completed election form as contemplated on the reverse hereof) at the
office or agency maintained by the Company for that purpose in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York (the "Designated Agent"), currently the office
or agency of the Trustee; provided, however, that if the Specified Currency
specified above is other than United States dollars and such payment is to be
made in the Specified Currency in accordance with the provisions set forth
below, such payment may be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds
to an account with a bank designated by the holder hereof at least 15 calendar
days prior to the Maturity Date, provided that such bank has appropriate
facilities therefor and that this Note (and, if applicable, a duly completed
repayment election form) is presented and surrendered at the aforementioned
office or agency maintained by the Company in time for the Trustee or the
Designated Agent to make such payment in such funds in accordance with its
normal procedures. Payment of interest due on any Interest Payment Date other
than the Maturity Date will be made at the aforementioned office or agency
maintained by the Company or, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to
the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the
Security Register maintained by the Trustee or the Designated Agent; provided,
however, that a holder of U.S. $10,000,000 (or, if the Specified Currency is
other than United States dollars, the equivalent thereof in the Specified
Currency) or more in aggregate principal amount of Notes (whether having
identical or different terms and provisions) will be entitled to receive
interest payments on any Interest Payment Date other than the Maturity Date by
wire transfer of immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer
instructions have been received in writing by the Trustee or the Designated
Agent not less than 15 calendar days prior to such Interest Payment Date. Any
such wire transfer instructions received by the Trustee or the Designated Agent
shall remain in effect until revoked by such holder.




                                       B-3


   35
         If any Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date falls on a day that
is not a Business Day, the required payment of principal, premium, if any,
and/or interest shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same
force and effect as if made on the date such payment was due, and no interest
shall accrue with respect to such payment for the period from and after such
Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date, as the case may be, to the date of
such payment on the next succeeding Business Day.

         As used herein, "Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or
Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions
are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close in The
City of New York, Chicago, or Boston, Massachusetts, provided, however, that if
the Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, such day is also not
a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law,
regulation or executive order to close in the Principal Financial Center (as
defined below) of the country issuing the Specified Currency (or, if the
Specified Currency is European Currency Units ("ECU"), such day is not a day
that appears as an ECU no-settlement day on the display designated as "ISDE" on
the Reuter Monitor Money Rates Service (or a day so designated by the ECU
Banking Association), or, if ECU non-settlement days do not appear on that page
(and are not so designated), is not a day on which payments in ECU cannot be
settled in the international interbank market). Principal Financial Center means
the capital city of the country issuing the Specified Currency, except that with
respect to United States dollars, Australian dollars, Deutsche marks, Dutch
guilders, Italian lire, Swiss francs and ECU, the Principal Financial Center
shall be The City of New York, Sydney, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Milan, Zurich and
Luxembourg, respectively.

         The Company is obligated to make payments of principal, premium, if
any, and interest in respect of this Note in the Specified Currency (or, if the
Specified Currency is not at the time of such payment legal tender for the
payment of public and private debts, in such other coin or currency of the
country which issued the Specified Currency as at the time of such payment is
legal tender for the payment of such debts). If the Specified Currency is other
than United States dollars, except as provided below, any such amounts so
payable by the Company will be converted by the Exchange Rate Agent specified
above into United States dollars for payment to the holder of this Note.

         If the Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, the
holder of this Note may elect to receive such amounts in such Specified
Currency. If the holder of this Note shall not have duly made an election to
receive all or a specified portion of any payment of principal, premium, if any,
and/or interest in respect of this Note in the Specified Currency, any United
States dollar amount to be received by the holder of this Note will be based on
the highest bid quotation in The City of New York received by the Exchange Rate
Agent at approximately 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second Business
Day preceding the applicable payment date from three recognized foreign exchange
dealers (one of whom may be the Exchange Rate Agent) selected by the Exchange
Rate Agent and approved by the Company for the purchase by the quoting dealer of
the Specified Currency for United States dollars for settlement on such payment
date in the aggregate amount of such Specified Currency payable




                                       B-4

   36
to all holders of Foreign Currency Notes scheduled to receive United States
dollar payments and at which the applicable dealer commits to execute a
contract. All currency exchange costs will be borne by the holder of this Note
by deductions from such payments. If three such bid quotations are not
available, payments on this Note will be made in the Specified Currency.

         If the Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, the
holder of this Note may elect to receive all or a specified portion of any
payment of principal, premium, if any, and/or interest in respect of this Note
in the Specified Currency by submitting a written request for such payment to
the Trustee or the Designated Agent at its corporate trust office or agency in
The City of New York on or prior to the applicable Record Date or at least 15
calendar days prior to the Maturity Date, as the case may be. Such written
request may be mailed or hand delivered or sent by cable, telex or other form of
facsimile transmission. The holder of this Note may elect to receive all or a
specified portion of all future payments in the Specified Currency in respect of
such principal, premium, if any, and/or interest and need not file a separate
election for each payment. Such election will remain in effect until revoked by
written notice to the Trustee or the Designated Agent, but written notice of any
such revocation must be received by the Trustee or the Designated Agent on or
prior to the applicable Record Date or at least 15 calendar days prior to the
Maturity Date, as the case may be.

         If the Specified Currency is other than United States dollars or a
composite currency and the holder of this Note shall have duly made an election
to receive all or a specified portion of any payment of principal, premium, if
any, and/or interest in respect of this Note in the Specified Currency and if
the Specified Currency is not available due to the imposition of exchange
controls or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Company,
the Company will be entitled to satisfy its obligations to the holder of this
Note by making such payment in United States dollars on the basis of the Market
Exchange Rate (as defined below) on the second Business Day prior to such
payment date or, if such Market Exchange Rate is not then available, on the
basis of the most recently available Market Exchange Rate or as otherwise
specified on the face hereof. The "Market Exchange Rate" for the Specified
Currency means the noon dollar buying rate in The City of New York for cable
transfers for such Specified Currency as certified for customs purposes by (or
if not so certified, as otherwise determined by) the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York. Any payment made under such circumstances in United States dollars will
not constitute an Event of Default (as defined in the Indenture) with respect to
this Note.

         If the Specified Currency is a composite currency and the holder of
this Note shall have duly made an election to receive all or a specified portion
of any payment of principal, premium, if any, and/or interest in respect of this
Note in the Specified Currency and if such composite currency is unavailable due
to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond the
reasonable control of the Company, then the Company will be entitled to satisfy
its obligations to the holder of this Note by making such payment in United
States dollars. The amount of each payment in United States dollars shall be
computed by the Exchange Rate Agent on the basis of the equivalent of the
composite currency in United States dollars. The component currencies of the
composite currency for this purpose (collectively, the




                                       B-5


   37
"Component Currencies" and each, a "Component Currency") shall be the currency
amounts that were components of the composite currency as of the last day on
which the composite currency was used. The equivalent of the composite currency
in United States dollars shall be calculated by aggregating the United States
dollar equivalents of the Component Currencies. The United States dollar
equivalent of each of the Component Currencies shall be determined by the
Exchange Rate Agent on the basis of the most recently available Market Exchange
Rate for each such Component Currency, or as otherwise specified on the face
hereof.

         If the official unit of any Component Currency is altered by way of
combination or subdivision, the number of units of the currency as a Component
Currency shall be divided or multiplied in the same proportion. If two or more
Component Currencies are consolidated into a single currency, the amounts of
those currencies as Component Currencies shall be replaced by an amount in such
single currency equal to the sum of the amounts of the consolidated Component
Currencies expressed in such single currency. If any Component Currency is
divided into two or more currencies, the amount of the original Component
Currency shall be replaced by the amounts of such two or more currencies, the
sum of which shall be equal to the amount of the original Component Currency.

         All determinations referred to above made by the Exchange Rate Agent
shall be at its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be
conclusive for all purposes and binding on the holder of this Note.

         Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof and, if so specified above on the face hereof, in
the Addendum hereto, which further provisions shall have the same force and
effect as if set forth on the face hereof.

         Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained herein, if the
face of this Note specifies that an Addendum is attached hereto or that
"Other/Additional Provisions" apply to this Note, this Note shall be subject to
the terms set forth in such Addendum or such "Other/Additional Provisions."

         Unless the Certificate of Authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee or its Authenticating Agent by manual signature, this Note shall not
be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any
purpose.




                                       B-6

   38
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Cabot Corporation has caused this Note to be duly
executed under its seal.

Dated: _______________         CABOT CORPORATION


                               By: _____________________________________________
                                   Samuel W. Bodman
                                   Chairman of the Board Chief Executive Officer



(SEAL)

Attest:



____________________________
Name:
Secretary



                    TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION:

         This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred
to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated: ______________          STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
                               as Trustee

                               By: _____________________________________________
                                   Authorized Signatory





                                       B-7

   39
                                [REVERSE OF NOTE]

                                CABOT CORPORATION
                            SERIES B MEDIUM-TERM NOTE
                                  (Fixed Rate)


         This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities (the
"Securities") of the Company issued and to be issued under an Indenture, dated
as of December 1, 1987, as supplemented and amended by a First Supplemental
Indenture dated as of June 17, 1992, a Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of
January 31, 1997 and a Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of November __,
1998 (collectively and as amended or supplemented from time to time, the
"Indenture"), between the Company and State Street Bank and Trust Company, as
trustee (the "Trustee"), which term includes any successor trustee under the
Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference
is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights,
duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the holders of
the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be,
authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the series of Securities
designated as "Series B Medium-Term Notes Due Nine Months or More from Date of
Issue" (the "Notes"). All terms used but not defined in this Note or in an
Addendum hereto shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture
or on the face hereof, as the case may be.

         This Note is issuable only in registered form without coupons in
minimum denominations of U.S. $1,000 and integral multiples thereof or the
minimum Authorized Denomination specified on the face hereof.

         This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless otherwise
specified on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the following
two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or repayable prior to the Stated Maturity
Date.

         This Note will be subject to redemption at the option of the Company on
any date on and after the Initial Redemption Date, if any, specified on the face
hereof, in whole or from time to time in part in increments of U.S. $1,000 or
the minimum Authorized Denomination (provided that any remaining principal
amount hereof shall be at least U.S. $1,000 or such minimum Authorized
Denomination), at the Redemption Price (as defined below), together with unpaid
interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption (each, a "Redemption
Date"), on notice given not more than 60 nor less than 30 calendar days prior to
the Redemption Date and in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture. The
"Redemption Price" shall initially be the Initial Redemption Percentage
specified on the face hereof multiplied by the unpaid principal amount of this
Note to be redeemed. The Initial Redemption Percentage shall decline at each
anniversary of the Initial Redemption Date by the Annual Redemption Percentage
Reduction, if any, specified on the face hereof until the Redemption Price is
100% of the unpaid principal amount to be redeemed. In the event of redemption
of this Note in part only, a new Note of like tenor for the unredeemed portion
hereof and




                                       B-8

   40
otherwise having the same terms as this Note shall be issued in the name of the
holder hereof upon the presentation and surrender hereof.

         This Note will be subject to repayment by the Company at the option of
the holder hereof on the Optional Repayment Date(s), if any, specified on the
face hereof, in whole or in part in increments of U.S.$1,000 or the minimum
Authorized Denomination (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof
shall be at least U.S.$1,000 or such minimum Authorized Denomination), at a
repayment price equal to 100% of the unpaid principal amount to be repaid,
together with unpaid interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for repayment
(each, a "Repayment Date"). For this Note to be repaid, the Trustee or the
Designated Agent must receive at its office or agency in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, referred to on the face hereof, at least 30
days but not more than 60 days prior to the Repayment Date (i) this Note and the
form hereon entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" duly completed or (ii) a
telegram, telex, facsimile transmission, or a letter from a member of a national
securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or a
commercial bank or trust company in the United States setting forth the name of
the holder hereof, the principal amount of this Note, the principal amount of
this Note to be repaid, the certificate number or a description of the tenor and
terms of this Note, a statement that the option to elect repayment is being
exercised thereby, and a guarantee that this Note, together with the form hereon
entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" duly completed, will be received by the
Trustee or the Designated Agent not later than the fifth Business Day after the
date of such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter, provided that
such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter shall only be effective
if this Note and duly completed form are received by the Trustee or the
Designated Agent by such fifth Business Day. Exercise of such repayment option
by the holder hereof will be irrevocable. In the event of repayment of this Note
in part only, a new Note of like tenor for the unrepaid portion hereof and
otherwise having the same terms as this Note shall be issued in the name of the
holder hereof upon the presentation and surrender hereof.

         If this Note is an Original Issue Discount Note as specified on the
face hereof, the amount payable to the holder of this Note in the event of
redemption, repayment or acceleration of maturity of this Note will be equal to
the sum of (i) the Issue Price specified on the face hereof (increased by any
accruals of the Discount, as defined below) and, in the event of any redemption
of this Note (if applicable), multiplied by the Initial Redemption Percentage
(as adjusted by the Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction, if applicable) and
(ii) any unpaid interest on this Note accrued from the Original Issue Date to
the Redemption Date, Repayment Date or date of acceleration of maturity, as the
case may be. The difference between the Issue Price and 100% of the principal
amount of this Note is referred to herein as the "Discount."

         For purposes of determining the amount of Discount that has accrued as
of any Redemption Date, Repayment Date or date of acceleration of maturity of
this Note, such Discount will be accrued using a constant yield method. The
constant yield will be calculated using a 30-day month, 360-day year convention,
a compounding period that, except for the Initial Period (as defined below),
corresponds to the shortest period between Interest Payment




                                       B-9

   41
Dates (with ratable accruals within a compounding period), a coupon rate equal
to the initial coupon rate applicable to this Note and an assumption that the
maturity of this Note will not be accelerated. If the period from the Original
Issue Date to the initial Interest Payment Date (the "Initial Period") is
shorter than the compounding period for this Note, a proportionate amount of the
yield for an entire compounding-period will be accrued. If the Initial Period is
longer than the compounding period, then such period will be divided into a
regular compounding period and a short period, with the short period being
treated as provided in the preceding sentence.

         If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall occur and be
continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the
manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance of (i) the entire
indebtedness of the Notes or (ii) certain covenants and Events of Default with
respect to the Notes, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set
forth therein, which provisions apply to the Notes.

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the holders of the Securities at any time by the
Company and the Trustee with the consent of the holders of not less than a
majority of the aggregate principal amount of all Securities at the time
outstanding and affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions
permitting the holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal
amount of the outstanding Securities of any series, on behalf of the holders of
all such Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions
of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the holders of
not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
Securities of any series, in certain instances, to waive, on behalf of all of
the holders of Securities of such series, certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the holder of
this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future
holders of this Note and other Notes issued upon the registration of transfer
hereof or in exchange heretofore or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of
such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest in
respect of this Note at the times, places and rate or formula, and in the coin
or currency, herein prescribed.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
and herein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Security
Register of the Company upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer
at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal hereof
and any premium or interest hereon are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied
by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the
Security Registrar, duly executed by, the holder hereof or by his attorney 



                                      B-10

   42
duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized
denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the
designated transferee or transferees.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
and herein set forth, this Note is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal
amount of Notes of different authorized denominations but otherwise having the
same terms and conditions, as requested by the holder hereof surrendering the
same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the
Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the
holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner thereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

         This Note and all documents, agreements, understandings and
arrangements relating to any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby have
been executed or entered into by the undersigned in his/her capacity as an
officer of the sole general partner of the Company which has been formed as a
Delaware limited Company, and not individually, and neither the general partner,
officers, employees or limited partners of the Company shall be bound or have
any personal liability hereunder or thereunder. The holder of this Note by
accepting this Note waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and
release are part of the consideration for the issue of this Note. Each party
hereto shall look solely to the assets of the Company for satisfaction of any
liability of the Company in respect of this Note and all documents, agreements,
understandings and arrangements relating to any transaction contemplated hereby
or thereby and will not seek recourse or commence any action against any of the
trustees, officers or shareholders of the Company or any of their personal
assets for the performance or payment of any obligation hereunder or thereunder.
The foregoing shall also apply to any future documents, agreements,
understandings, arrangements and transactions between the parties hereto.

         The Indenture and this Note shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without regard to
its principles of conflicts of laws.



                                      B-11

   43
                                  ABBREVIATIONS

         The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this Note, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

         TEN COM - as tenants in common
         TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties
         JT TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants
         in common
         UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - ____________ Custodian _____________
                                (Cust)                 (Minor)
         Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act _____________________
                                                 (State)

         Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.




                                      B-12

   44
                                   ASSIGNMENT

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
         IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE


_______________________________________
(Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of
assignee) this Note and all rights thereunder hereby irrevocably constituting
and appointing Attorney to transfer this Note on the books of the Trustee, with
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:_____________________

         NOTICE: The signature(s) on this Assignment must correspond with the
name(s) as written upon the face of this Note in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.








                                      B-13

   45
                            OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT

         The undersigned hereby irrevocably request(s) and instruct(s) the
Company to repay this Note (or portion hereof specified below) pursuant to its
terms at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid, together
with unpaid interest accrued hereon to the Repayment Date, to the undersigned,
at

_______________________________________________________________
(Please print or typewrite name and address of the undersigned)

         For this Note to be repaid, the Trustee or the Designated Agent must
receive at its corporate trust office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The
City of New York, this Note with this "Option to Elect Repayment" form duly
completed.

         If less than the entire principal amount of this Note is to be repaid,
specify the portion hereof (which shall be increments of U.S.$1,000 (or, if the
Specified Currency is other than United States dollars, the minimum Authorized
Denomination specified on the face hereof)) which the holder elects to have
repaid and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall be an
Authorized Denomination) of the Notes to be issued to the holder for the portion
of this Note not being repaid (in the absence of any such specification, one
such Note will be issued for the portion not being repaid).

Principal Amount
to be Repaid:  $________________

Date: ________________________    ______________________________________________
                                  Notice: The signature(s) on this Option to
                                  Elect Repayment must correspond with the
                                  name(s) as written upon the face of this Note
                                  in every particular, without alteration or
                                  enlargement or any change whatsoever.









                                      B-14