As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July   , 1995 
    

         Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities 
                   Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.    ) 

Filed by the registrant [X] 
Filed by a party other than the registrant [ ] 

Check the appropriate box: 
[ ] Preliminary proxy statement 
[X] Definitive proxy statement 
[ ] Definitive additional materials 
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12 

                       CORPORATE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC. 
               (Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) 

                       CORPORATE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC. 
                  (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement) 

   
Payment of filing fee (Check the appropriate box): 
[X] $125 per Exchange Act Rule 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or 14a-6(j)(2). 
[ ] $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 
14a-6(i)(3). 
[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11. 
    

(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: 

(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: 

(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant 
to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:(1) 

(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: 

[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act 
    Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was 
    paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement 
    number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing. 

(1) Amount previously paid: 

(2) Form, schedule or registration statement no.: 

(3) Filing party: 

(4) Date filed: 
- ---------------
(1)Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how 
it was determined. 


 
   
                       CORPORATE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC. 
                                P.O. Box 9011 
                       Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011 
    

   
                NOTICE OF 1995 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS 
                              September 8, 1995 
    

To The Stockholders of 
 Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc.: 

   
  Notice is hereby given that the 1995 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the 
"Meeting") of Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") will be held at 
the offices of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, L.P. ("MLAM"), 800 Scudders 
Mill Road, Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536, on Friday, September 8, 1995 at 9:15 
A.M. for the following purposes: 
    

    (1) To elect a Board of Directors to serve for the ensuing year; 

   
    (2) To consider and act upon a proposal to ratify the selection of 
Deloitte & Touche LLP to serve as independent auditors of the Fund for its 
current fiscal year; and 
    

    (3) To transact such other business as may properly come before the 
Meeting or any adjournment thereof. 

   
  The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on July 14, 1995 as 
the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of 
and to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. 
    

   
  A complete list of the stockholders of the Fund entitled to vote at the 
Meeting will be available and open to the examination of any stockholder of 
the Fund for any purpose germane to the Meeting during ordinary business 
hours from and after August 25, 1995, at the office of the Fund, 800 Scudders 
Mill Road, Plainsboro, New Jersey. You are cordially invited to attend the 
Meeting. Stockholders who do not expect to attend the Meeting in person are 
requested to complete, date and sign the enclosed form of proxy and return it 
promptly in the envelope provided for this purpose. The enclosed proxy is 
being solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Fund. 
    

                      By Order of the Board of Directors 

                      Michael J. Hennewinkel 
                      Secretary 

   
Plainsboro, New Jersey 
Dated: July  26, 1995 
    


              
 
PROXY STATEMENT 

   
                       CORPORATE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC. 
                                P.O. Box 9011 
                       Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011 
    

   
                     1995 Annual Meeting of Stockholders 
                              September 8, 1995 
    

                                 INTRODUCTION 

   
  This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of 
proxies on behalf of the Board of Directors of Corporate High Yield Fund, 
Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Fund"), to be voted at the 1995 Annual 
Meeting of Stockholders of the Fund (the "Meeting"), to be held at the 
offices of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, L.P. ("MLAM"), 800 Scudders Mill 
Road, Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536, on Friday, September 8, 1995 at 9:15 A.M. 
The approximate mailing date of this Proxy Statement is July 28, 1995. 
    

  All properly executed proxies received prior to the Meeting will be voted at 
the Meeting in accordance with the instructions marked thereon or otherwise 
as provided therein. Unless instructions to the contrary are marked, proxies 
will be voted for the election of the Board of Directors to serve for the 
ensuing year, and for the ratification of the selection of independent 
auditors to serve for the Fund's current fiscal year. Any proxy may be 
revoked at any time prior to the exercise thereof by giving written notice to 
the Secretary of the Fund. 

   
  The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on July 14, 1995 as 
the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of 
and to vote at the Meeting and at any adjournment thereof. Stockholders on 
the record date will be entitled to one vote for each share held, with no 
shares having cumulative voting rights. As of July 14, 1995, the Fund had 
outstanding 21,515,524 shares of common stock, par value $.10 per share 
("Common Stock"). To the knowledge of the Fund, as of July 14, 1995, no 
person is the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the outstanding 
shares of Common Stock. 
    

   
  Approval of Items 1 and 2 below will require the affirmative vote of the 
holders of a majority of the Fund's stockholders, voting in person or by 
proxy, at a meeting in which a quorum is present and duly constituted. The 
Board of Directors of the Fund knows of no business other than that mentioned 
in Items 1 and 2 of the Notice of Meeting which will be presented for 
consideration at the Meeting. If any other matter is properly presented, it 
is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote in 
accordance with their best judgment. 
    

   
                        ITEM 1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS 
    

  At the Meeting, the Board of Directors will be elected to serve until the 
next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their successors are elected 
and qualified. It is intended that all properly executed proxies will be 
voted (unless such authority has been withheld in the proxy) in favor of the 
six (6) persons designated as directors to be elected by holders of Common 
Stock. The Board of Directors of the Fund knows of no reason why any of these 
nominees will be unable to serve, but in the event of any such 
unavailability, the proxies received will be voted for such substitute 
nominee or nominees as the Board of Directors may recommend. 

                                      1 
 
Certain information concerning the nominees is set forth as follows: 


                                                                                               Shares of 
                                                                                             Common Stock 
                                                                                              of the Fund 
                                                 Principal Occupations                       Beneficially 
                                                During Past Five Years           Director      Owned at 
Name and Address of Nominee     Age          and Public Directorships (1)           Since    July 14, 1995 
- -----------------------------     --    ----------------------------------------    ------   ------------- 
                                                                                 
Joe Grills (1) (2)               60    Member of the Committee of Investment of     1994         --0-- 
183 Soundview Lane                      Employee Benefit Assets of the 
New Canaan, Connecticut 06840           Financial Executives Institute 
                                        ("CIEBA") since 1986, member of 
                                        CIEBA's Executive Committee since 1988 
                                        and its Chairman from 1991 to 1992; 
                                        Assistant Treasurer of International 
                                        Business Machines Incorporated ("IBM") 
                                        and Chief Investment Officer of IBM 
                                        Retirement Funds from 1986 until 1993; 
                                        Member of the Investment Advisory 
                                        Committee of the State of New York 
                                        Common Retirement Fund; Director, Duke 
                                        Management Company (real estate 
                                        management). 
Walter Mintz (1) (2)             66    Special Limited Partner of Cumberland        1993          --0-- 
1114 Avenue of the Americas             Associates (investment partnership) 
New York, New York 10036                since 1982. 
Melvin R. Seiden (1) (2)         64    President of Silbanc Properties, Ltd.        1993          --0-- 
780 Third Avenue                        (real estate, investment and 
New York, New York 10017                consulting) since 1987; Chairman and 
                                        President of Seiden & de Cuevas, Inc. 
                                        (private investment firm) from 1964 to 
                                        1987. 
Stephen B. Swensrud (1) (2)      62    Principal of Fernwood Associates             1993          --0-- 
24 Federal Street                       (financial consultants). 
Boston, Massachusetts 02110 
Harry Woolf (1) (2) (3)          71    Member of the editorial board of             1993          --0-- 
The Institute for                       Interdisciplinary Science Reviews; 
Advanced Study                          Director, Alex. Brown Mutual Funds, 
Olden Lane                              Advanced Technology Laboratories, 
Princeton, New Jersey 08540             Family Health International and 
                                        Spacelabs Medical (medical equipment 
                                        manufacturing and marketing). 

                                      2 
 
Arthur Zeikel (1)(4)             63    President and Chief Investment Officer       1993          --0-- 

P.O. Box 9011                           of Fund Asset Management, L.P. ("FAM") 
Princeton, New Jersey                   or its predecessor since 1977; 
08543-9011                              President of MLAM or its predecessor 
                                        since 1977 and Chief Investment 
                                        Officer since 1976; President and 
                                        Director of Princeton Services, Inc. 
                                        ("Princeton Services") since 1993; 
                                        Executive Vice President of Merrill 
                                        Lynch & Co., Inc. ("ML&Co.") since 
                                        1990; Executive Vice President of 
                                        Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith 
                                        Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") since 
                                        1990; Senior Vice President of Merrill 
                                        Lynch from 1986 to 1990; Director of 
                                        Merrill Lynch Funds Distributor, Inc. 
                                        ("MLFD"). 
(1) Each of the nominees is a director, trustee or member of an advisory 
board of certain other investment companies for which FAM or MLAM acts as 
investment adviser. See "Merrill Lynch Investment Company Directorships" 
below. 
(2) Member of Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. 
(3) Although if elected Harry Woolf's term will expire in 1996, under the 
Fund's current retirement policy, it is expected that Mr. Woolf will retire 
as a Director as of December 31, 1995. 
(4) Interested person, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as 
amended (the "Investment Company Act"), of the Fund. 

   
  Committees and Board of Directors' Meetings. The Board of Directors has a 
standing Audit Committee, which consists of the Directors who are not 
"interested persons" of the Fund within the meaning of the Investment Company 
Act. The principal purpose of the Audit Committee is to review the scope of 
the annual audit conducted by the Fund's independent auditors and the 
evaluation by such auditors of the accounting procedures followed by the 
Fund. The non- interested Directors have retained independent legal counsel 
to assist them in connection with these duties. The Board of Directors does 
not have a nominating committee. 
    

   
  During the fiscal year ended May 31, 1995, the Board of Directors held four 
meetings and the Audit Committee held four meetings. Each of the Directors 
then in office attended at least 75% of the total number of meetings of the 
Board of Directors. Each member of the Audit Committee then in office 
attended at least 75% of the total number of meetings of the Audit Committee 
held during such period. 
    

  Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934. Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 
"Exchange Act"), requires the Fund's officers, directors and persons who own 
more than ten percent of a registered class of the Fund's equity securities, 
to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership on Forms 3, 4 and 5 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and the New York Stock 
Exchange. Officers, directors and greater than ten percent stockholders are 
required by SEC regulations to furnish the Fund with copies of all Forms 3, 4 
and 5 they file. 

                                      3 
 
   
  Based solely on the Fund's review of the copies of such forms, and 
amendments thereto, furnished to it during or with respect to its most recent 
fiscal year, and written representations from certain reporting persons that 
they were not required to file Form 5 with respect to the most recent fiscal 
year, the Fund believes that all of its officers, directors, greater than ten 
percent beneficial owners and other persons subject to Section 16 of the 
Exchange Act because of the requirements of Section 30 of the Investment 
Company Act, i.e., any advisory board member, investment adviser or 
affiliated person of the Fund's investment adviser, have complied with all 
filing requirements applicable to them with respect to transactions during 
the Fund's most recent fiscal year, except that a Form 3 disclosing that 
Elizabeth Griffin was elected a Senior Vice President of FAM on April 1, 1993 
was not filed on a timely basis. A Form 3 was filed on behalf of Ms. Griffin 
on October 4, 1994. 
    

  Interested Persons. The Fund considers Mr. Zeikel to be an "interested 
person" of the Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment 
Company Act as a result of the position he holds with FAM and its affiliates. 
Mr. Zeikel is the President of the Fund and the President of FAM and MLAM. 

   
  Compensation of Directors. FAM, the investment adviser, pays all 
compensation of all officers of the Fund and all Directors of the Fund who 
are affiliated with ML&Co. or its subsidiaries. The Fund pays each Director 
not affiliated with the investment adviser a fee of $5,000 per year plus $250 
per regular meeting attended, together with such Director's actual 
out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at meetings. The Fund also pays 
each member of its Audit Committee a fee of $1,000 per year plus $500 per 
meeting attended, together with such Director's out-of-pocket expenses 
relating to attendance at such meetings. These fees and expenses aggregated 
$45,283 for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1995. 
    

   
  The following table sets forth for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1995 
compensation paid by the Fund to the non-affiliated Directors and, for the 
calendar year ending December 31, 1994, the aggregate compensation paid by 
all investment companies advised by FAM and its affiliate, MLAM ("FAM/MLAM 
Advised Funds"), to the non-affiliated Directors. 


                                          Pension or           Total 
                                          Retirement        Compensation 
                                           Benefits        from Fund and 
                          Aggregate    Accrued as Part    FAM/MLAM Advised 
       Name of         Compensation        of Fund         Funds Paid to 
       Director           From Fund        Expenses          Directors 
- ---------------------     ----------    ---------------   ---------------- 
                                                 
Joe Grills (1)             $9,000            None             $190,383 
Walter Mintz (1)           $9,000            None             $157,325 
Melvin R. Seiden (1)       $9,000            None             $157,325 
Stephen B. Swensrud 
  (1)                      $9,000            None             $165,325 
Harry Woolf (1)            $9,000            None             $157,325 

(1) In addition to the Fund, the Directors serve on the boards of other 
FAM/MLAM Advised Funds as follows: Mr. Grills (37 funds); Mr. Mintz (37 
funds); Mr. Seiden (37 funds); Mr. Swensrud (47 funds); and Mr. Woolf (37 
funds). 
    

   
                                      4 
 
    
   
  Officers of the Fund. The Board of Directors has elected eight officers of 
the Fund. The following sets forth information concerning each of these 
officers: 


                                                                                        Officer 
Name and Principal Occupation                                     Office          Age    Since 
- --------------------------------------------------------    -------------------    --   ------- 
                                                                               
Arthur Zeikel                                                    President        63      1993 
President and Chief Investment Officer of FAM or its 
  predecessor since 1977; President of MLAM or its 
  predecessor since 1977 and Chief Investment Officer 
  since 1976; President and Director of Princeton 
  Services since 1993; Executive Vice President of 
  ML&Co. since 1990; Executive Vice President of Merrill 
  Lynch since 1990; Senior Vice President from 1985 to 
  1990; Director of MLFD. 
Terry K. Glenn                                                 Executive Vice 
                                                                  President       54      1993 
Executive Vice President of FAM and MLAM or their 
  predecessors since 1983; Executive Vice President and 
  Director of Princeton Services since 1993; President 
  of MLFD since 1986 and Director since 1991; President 
  of Princeton Administrators, L.P. since 1988. 
N. John Hewitt                                                   Senior Vice 
                                                                  President       60      1993 
Senior Vice President of FAM and MLAM or their 
  predecessors since 1980. 
Vincent T. Lathbury, III                                       Vice President     54      1993 
Vice President of MLAM or its predecessor since 1982; 
  Portfolio Manager of FAM and MLAM or their 
  predecessors since 1982. 
Elizabeth Phillips                                             Vice President     45      1993 
Vice President of MLAM or its predecessor since 1990; 
  Vice President, Debt Rating Department, Standard & 
  Poor's Corporation from 1985 to 1990. 
Donald C. Burke                                                Vice President     35      1993 
Vice President and Director of Taxation of MLAM or its 
  predecessor since 1990; Employee of Deloitte & Touche 
  from 1982 to 1990. 
Gerald M. Richard                                                 Treasurer       46      1993 
Senior Vice President and Treasurer of FAM and MLAM or 
  their predecessors since 1984; Senior Vice President 
  and Treasurer of Princeton Services since 1993; 
  Treasurer of MLFD since 1984 and Vice President since 
  1981. 
Michael J. Hennewinkel                                            Secretary       43      1993 
Vice President of MLAM or its predecessor since 1985 and 
  attorney associated with FAM and MLAM or their 
  predecessors since 1982. 

    


                                      5 
 
   
  Stock Ownership. At July 14, 1995, the Directors and officers of the Fund as 
a group (13 persons) owned an aggregate of less than 1/4 of 1% of the Common 
Stock of the Fund outstanding at such date. At such date, Mr. Zeikel, a 
Director of the Fund, and the officers of the Fund owned an aggregate of less 
than 1% of the outstanding shares of common stock of ML&Co. 
    

  All of the Directors of the Fund timely filed the reports required under the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, relating to transactions in the 
Fund's shares. 

                  ITEM 2. SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS 

   
  The Board of Directors of the Fund, including a majority of the Directors 
who are not interested persons of the Fund, has selected the firm of Deloitte 
& Touche LLP ("D&T") to examine the financial statements of the Fund for the 
current fiscal year. The Fund knows of no direct or indirect financial 
interest of D&T in the Fund. Such appointment is subject to ratification or 
rejection by the stockholders of the Fund. Unless a contrary specification is 
made, the accompanying proxy will be voted in favor of ratifying the 
selection of such auditors. 
    

  D&T also acts as independent auditors for several other investment companies 
for which FAM acts as investment adviser. The fees received by D&T from these 
other entities are substantially greater, in the aggregate, than the total 
fees received by it from the Fund. The Board of Directors of the Fund 
considered the fact that D&T has been retained as the independent auditors 
for the other entities described above in its evaluation of the independence 
of D&T with respect to the Fund. 

   
  Representatives of D&T are expected to be present at the Meeting and will 
have the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and to respond to 
questions from stockholders. 
    

                            ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

  The expenses of preparation, printing and mailing of the enclosed form of 
proxy and accompanying Notice and Proxy Statement will be borne by the Fund. 
The Fund will reimburse banks, brokers and others for their reasonable 
expenses in forwarding proxy solicitation material to the beneficial owners 
of the shares of the Fund. The Fund may also hire proxy solicitors at the 
expense of the Fund. 

  In order to obtain the necessary quorum at the Meeting (i.e., a majority of 
the shares of the Fund entitled to vote at the Meeting, present in person or 
by proxy), supplementary solicitation may be made by mail, telephone, 
telegraph or personal interview by officers of the Fund. It is anticipated 
that the cost of such supplementary solicitation, if any, will be nominal. 

   
  Broker-dealer firms, including Merrill Lynch, holding Fund shares in "street 
name" for the benefit of their customers and clients will request the 
instructions of such customers and clients on how to vote their shares on 
each Item before the Meeting. The Fund understands that, under the rules of 
the New York Stock Exchange, such broker-dealer firms may, without 
instructions from their customers and clients, grant authority to the proxies 
designated to vote on the election of Directors (Item 1) and ratification of 
the selection of independent auditors (Item 2) if no instructions have been 
received prior to the date specified in the broker-dealer firm's request for 
voting instructions. Accordingly, the Fund will include shares held of record 
by broker-dealers as to which such authority has been granted in its 
tabulation of the total number of votes present for purposes of determining 
whether the necessary quorum of stockholders exists. Proxies which are 
returned but which are marked "abstain" or on which a broker-dealer has 
declined to vote on any proposal ("broker non-votes") will be counted as 
present for the purposes of a quorum. Merrill Lynch has advised that it 
intends to exercise discretion over shares held in its name 
    


                                      6 
 
for which no instructions are received by voting such shares in the same 
proportion as it has voted shares for which it has received instructions. 
Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as votes cast. 
Abstentions and broker non-votes, therefore, will have no effect on the vote 
on Item 1 or Item 2. 

Address of Investment Adviser 

  The principal office of FAM is located at 800 Scudders Mill Road, 
Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536. 

Annual Report Delivery 

   
  The Fund will furnish, without charge, a copy of its annual report for the 
fiscal year ended May 31, 1995 to any stockholder upon request. Such requests 
should be directed to Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc., P.O. Box 9011, 
Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011, Attention: Michael J. Hennewinkel, 
Secretary or to 1-800-456-4587 ext. 123. 

Stockholder Proposals 

  If a stockholder intends to present a proposal at the 1996 Annual Meeting of 
Stockholders of the Fund, which is anticipated to be held in September 1996, 
and desires to have the proposal included in the Fund's proxy statement and 
form of proxy for that meeting, the stockholder must deliver the proposal to 
the offices of the Fund by March 28, 1996. 

                      By Order of the Board of Directors 

                                 Michael J. Hennewinkel 
                                 Secretary 

Dated: July 26, 1995 

                                      7