Exhibit 12
<TABLE>

                       JAMES RIVER CORPORATION of Virginia
                                        
              COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (a)
                          (Dollar amounts in millions)
                                        


<CAPTION>
                                                                 Fiscal Year Ended
                                               December   December   December   December   December
                                               29, 1991   27, 1992   26, 1993   25, 1994   31, 1995
                                             (52 weeks) (52 weeks) (52 weeks) (52 weeks) (53 weeks)
                                                             (b,c)                   (d)           
<S>                                             <C>       <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Pretax income (loss) from                                                                         
   continuing operations,                                                                         
   before minority interests                    $115.2    $(182.8)     $14.1     $(15.7)    $220.4
                                                                                                  
Add:                                                                                              
  Interest charged to operations                 191.3      193.0      183.0      210.1      236.0
  Portion of rental expense                                                                       
    representative of interest                                                                    
    factor (assumed to be one-third)              19.9       19.4       19.1       24.2       23.9
                                                                                                  
      Total earnings, as adjusted               $326.4      $29.6     $216.2     $218.6     $480.3
Fixed charges:                                                                                    
  Interest charged to operations                $191.3     $193.0     $183.0     $210.1     $236.0
  Capitalized interest                            31.8       12.8        5.3        3.1        6.9
  Portion of rental expense                                                                        
    representative of interest                                                                    
    factor (assumed to be one-third)              19.9       19.4       19.1       24.2       23.9
                                                                                                  
      Total fixed charges                       $243.0     $225.2     $207.4     $237.4     $266.8
                                                                                                  
Ratio                                             1.34         --       1.04         --       1.80
                                                                                                  
                                        
                                        
                                        
See accompanying footnote explanations.
</TABLE>

                                                                  				E-7			


Exhibit 12 (continued)

             JAMES RIVER CORPORATION of Virginia
                              
 NOTES TO COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

(a)  In  computing  the ratio of earnings to fixed  charges,
     earnings   consist  of  income  before  income   taxes,
     minority   interests,  and  fixed   charges   excluding
     capitalized   interest.   Fixed  charges   consist   of
     interest   expense,  capitalized  interest,  and   that
     portion   of   rental   expense   (one-third)    deemed
     representative  of the interest factor.   Earnings  and
     fixed  charges also include the Company's proportionate
     share  of  such  amounts for unconsolidated  affiliates
     which  are  owned 50% and distributed income from  less
     than 50% owned affiliates.

(b)  During  1992,  the  Company  initiated  a  productivity
     enhancement program and recorded a $112 million  pretax
     charge  which  has been included in the calculation  of
     the ratio of earnings to fixed charges for this year.

(c)  For  the  year  ended December 27, 1992, earnings  were
     inadequate to cover fixed charges by $195.6 million.

(d)  For the year ended December 25, 1994, earnings were
     inadequate to cover fixed charges. The amount of the
     deficiency was $18.8 million.