Purchase of Own Securities

HENDERSON SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
11 August 1999


     THE HENDERSON SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
                               
   Market Purchase by the Company of its own Ordinary Shares

The  Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust  plc  hereby
gives notification that, pursuant to the authority granted  to
the Company at the Annual General Meeting on 25 September 1998
to make market purchases of the Company's own shares, a market
purchase of 90,000 ordinary shares of 25p each of the  Company
was made today at a price of 276p per share.

Following the purchase and cancellation of the above shares,
176,273,000 ordinary shares of 25p each will remain in issue.

For further information please contact:

John Alexander/Stephen Westwood
Henderson Investors
Telephone: [phone]

or

Vicki Staveacre
Henderson Press Office
Telephone: [phone]