Holding in Company

Smiths Industries PLC
17 October 2000


Schedule 10 - Notification of Major Interests in Shares

1   Name of company:
Smiths Industries plc

2   Name of shareholder having a major interest:
HSBC Investment Bank plc

3   Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of
holding of the shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial
interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
person's spouse or children under the age of 18:
Notification indicates that it is in respect of the interests of HSBC
Investment Bank plc and also its parent and ultimate parent companies, HSBC
Investment Bank Holdings plc and HSBC Holdings plc, respectively, at the close
of business on 16 October 2000

4   Name of registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of
shares held by each of them:
None disclosed

5   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired:
Not disclosed

6   Percentage of issued class:
N/A

7   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed:
Not disclosed

8   Percentage of issued class:
N/A

9   Class of security:
Ordinary shares of 25p

10  Date of transaction:
Not disclosed (Notification states interests at close on 16 October 2000)

11  Date company informed:
17 October 2000

12  Total holding following this notification:
Not disclosed

13  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification:
Not disclosed

14  Contact name for queries:
Neil Burdett

15 Contact telephone number:
020 8457 8229

16  Name of company official responsible for making notification:
Neil Burdett

17  Date of notification:
17 October 2000


Additional Information:

The HSBC Investment Bank notification states that the Bank ceased to have a
notifiable interest in the Company's shares at the close of business on 16
October 2000.  It further states that HSBC Investment Bank Holdings plc and
HSBC Holdings plc also ceased to have notifiable interests.