<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000812015
<NAME> THE ALLIANCE PORTFOLIOS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 021
   <NAME> ALLIANCE SHORT TERM US GOVERNMENT FUND
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-28-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       16,317,257
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      16,346,908
<RECEIVABLES>                                  185,873
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              16,532,781
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      103,811
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            103,811
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                     17
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    17,107,929
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          378,082
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          357,715
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                        (63,454)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      (635,549)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                        20,027
<NET-ASSETS>                                16,428,970
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              544,881
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (161,225)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        383,656
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                        23,144
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       27,527
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          434,327
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                     (99,899)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        173,079
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (159,495)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              6,783
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       1,343,075
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (658,693)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                       (46,504)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0 
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           46,000
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                248,000
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         3,690,294
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             9.66
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.25
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           0.03
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (0.26)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                         0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                              0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               9.68
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.40
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>