Filed by Ashland Inc. pursuant to Rules 165 and 425 promulgated under the
    Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12
              promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

                                                   Subject Company: Ashland Inc.
                                                  Commission File No.: 001-02918

      (Employee Q&A to be posted on Ashland Inc.'s Employee Intranet)

Q.       Where is the Maleic Anhydride  business located,  and how will its
         employees be affected by its sale?

A.       The  Maleic  Anhydride  business  is  part of  Specialty  Chemical
         (Composite  Polymers) and includes a plant  located in Neal,  West
         Virginia.  Upon  completion of the  transaction,  the employees in
         this  business  group who are actively at work on the closing date
         of the transaction will be offered employment by Marathon.




Q.       What  is  meant  when  Ashland  says  that  part  of the  deal  is
         contingent  upon approval from public debt holders?  Is this meant
         to imply that our creditors may prevent the deal from closing?

A.       Ashland  is not  obligated  to close  the  transaction  unless  we
         receive  consent  from 90 percent of the  principal  amount of our
         taxable,  long-term  public  debt.  Consent from  two-thirds  of a
         series  represents  consent for the entire  series.  If we fail to
         obtain the 90 percent  consent  level,  Ashland  has the option to
         waive this closing condition and still close the transaction.