<ARTICLE> 6 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-2000 JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-2000 MAR-31-1999 <INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 0 0 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 493,014,536 467,642,930 <RECEIVABLES> 15,676,468 20,329,428 <ASSETS-OTHER> 3,558,090 2,949,906 <OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 20,060,500 18,870,264 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 532,309,594 509,612,528 <PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0 0 <SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 55,500,000 55,500,000 <OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 321,868,861 303,423,760 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 377,368,861 358,923,760 <SENIOR-EQUITY> 140,298 140,245 <PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 142,051,822 142,015,875 <SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 14,029,798 14,024,433 <SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 14,024,433 14,013,768 <ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 12,748,613 8,532,648 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 0 <ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 0 <ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 0 0 <NET-ASSETS> 154,940,733 150,688,768 <DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0 0 <INTEREST-INCOME> 13,793,507 9,379,876 <OTHER-INCOME> 1,293,092 1,682,922 <EXPENSES-NET> 11,027,950 7,989,671 <NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 4,058,649 3,073,122 <REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (112,711) 804,822 <APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 270,027 605,293 <NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 4,215,965 4,483,237 <EQUALIZATION> 0 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0 0 <SHARES-REINVESTED> 0 0 <NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 0 0 <ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 8,532,648 6,698,324 <ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 0 <OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 0 <OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 0 <GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 61,541 61,760 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 6,504,005 4,238,483 <GROSS-EXPENSE> 0 0 <AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.99 10.67 <PER-SHARE-NII> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0 0 <RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 0 0 <EXPENSE-RATIO> 0 0