Exhibit 25.4-C

      ___________________________________________________________________

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D. C.  20549
                           _________________________

                                   FORM  T-1

                           STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                   UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
                  A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
                  ___________________________________________
              CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF
               A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) ________
                   ________________________________________

                           THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)


NEW YORK                                                           13-4994650
(State of incorporation                                      (I.R.S. employer
if not a national bank)                                    identification No.)

270 PARK AVENUE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK                                                  10017
(Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)

                              William H. McDavid
                                General Counsel
                                270 Park Avenue
                           New York, New York 10017
                             Tel:  (212) 270-2611
           (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
                 ____________________________________________
                           DUKE CAPITAL CORPORATION
              (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)


DELAWARE                                                            56-0282142
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                             identification No.)

422 SOUTH CHURCH STREET
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA                                           28202
(Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)
                            -----------------------
                        PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE
                      (DUKE CAPITAL FINANCING TRUST III)
                      (Title of the indenture securities)


 
                                    GENERAL

Item 1.    General Information.

           Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

           (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to
               which it is subject.
 
               New York State Banking Department, State House, Albany, New York
               12110.

               Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington,
               D.C., 20551
 
               Federal Reserve Bank of New York, District No. 2, 33 Liberty
               Street, New York, N.Y.

               Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C., 20429.


           (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

               Yes.


Item 2.    Affiliations with the Obligor.

           If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
           affiliation.

           None.

                                      -2-

 
Item 16.  List of Exhibits
 
          List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of
          Eligibility.

          1.  A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee as now in
effect, including the  Organization Certificate and the Certificates of
Amendment dated February 17, 1969, August 31, 1977, December 31, 1980, September
9, 1982, February 28, 1985, December 2, 1991 and July 10, 1996 (see Exhibit 1 to
Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement  No. 333-06249, which
is incorporated by reference).

          2.  A copy of the Certificate of Authority of the Trustee to Commence
Business (see Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration
Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference.  On July 14, 1996,
in connection with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank
(National Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed
The Chase Manhattan Bank).

          3.  None, authorization to exercise corporate trust powers being
contained in the documents identified above as Exhibits 1 and 2.

          4.  A copy of the existing By-Laws of the Trustee (see Exhibit 4 to
Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

          5.  Not applicable.

          6.  The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act
(see Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No.
33-50010, which is incorporated by reference. On July 14, 1996, in connection
with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed The Chase
Manhattan Bank).

          7.  A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee, published
pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

          8.  Not applicable.

          9.  Not applicable.

                                   SIGNATURE

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 the
Trustee, The Chase Manhattan Bank, a corporation organized and existing under
the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in
the City of New York and State of New York, on the 23rd day of March, 1998.


                                 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

 
                                     By /s/ P. KELLY
                                        -------------------------------
                                        P. Kelly
                                        Vice President

                                      -3-


 
                             Exhibit 7 to Form T-1


                               Bank Call Notice

                            RESERVE DISTRICT NO. 2
                      CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION OF

                           The Chase Manhattan Bank
                 of 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
                    and Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
                    a member of the Federal Reserve System,

                at the close of business September 30, 1997, in
        accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this
        District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 
 

                                                                    DOLLAR AMOUNTS
                          ASSETS                                     IN MILLIONS
                                                                  
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
    Noninterest-bearing balances and
    currency and coin............................................    $  12,428
    Interest-bearing balances....................................        3,428
Securities:......................................................
Held to maturity securities......................................        2,561
Available for sale securities....................................       43,058
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under
    agreements to resell.........................................       29,633
Loans and lease financing receivables:
    Loans and leases, net of unearned income     $129,260
    Less: Allowance for loan and lease losses       2,783
    Less: Allocated transfer risk reserve......         0
    Loans and leases, net of unearned income,    --------
    allowance, and reserve.......................................      126,477
Trading Assets...................................................       62,575
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized
    leases)......................................................        2,943
Other real estate owned..........................................          295
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and
    associated companies.........................................          231
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances
    outstanding..................................................        1,698
Intangible assets................................................        1,466
Other assets.....................................................       10,268
                                                                        ------
TOTAL ASSETS.....................................................    $ 297,061
                                                                     =========
 

                                      -4-

 
 
 

                         LIABILITIES
                                                              
Deposits
    In domestic offices.............................           $94,524
    Noninterest-bearing......................$39,487
    Interest-bearing......................... 55,037
                                              ------
    In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement,
    subsidiaries and IBF's............................         71,162
    Noninterest-bearing........................$ 3,205
    Interest-bearing........................... 67,957

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agree-
ments to repurchase...................................         43,181 
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury..............          1,000
Trading liabilities...................................         48,903

Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness
    and obligations under capitalized leases):
    With a remaining maturity of one year or less.....          3,599
    With a remaining maturity of more than one year
        through three years...........................            253
    With a remaining maturity of more 
        than three years..............................            132
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding        1,698
Subordinated notes and debentures.....................          5,715
Other liabilities.....................................          9,896

TOTAL LIABILITIES.....................................        280,063
                                                              -------

                               EQUITY CAPITAL

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus                       0
Common stock..........................................          1,211  
Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)       10,291
Undivided profits and capital reserves................          5,502
Net unrealized holding gains (losses)
on available-for-sale securities......................            (22)
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments...             16

TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL..................................         16,998
                                                             --------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CAPITAL..................       $297,061
                                                             ========
 

I, Joseph L. Sclafani, E.V.P. & Controller of the above-named
bank, do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has
been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued
by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true
to the best of my knowledge and belief.

                                 JOSEPH L. SCLAFANI

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness
of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been
examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and
belief has been prepared in conformance with the
instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory
authority and is true and correct.

                     WALTER V. SHIPLEY       )
                     THOMAS G. LABRECQUE     ) DIRECTORS
                     WILLIAM B. HARRISON, JR.)

                                      -5-