8-K

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C.  20549

                                   FORM 8-K

                                CURRENT REPORT

                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  May 25, 1999


                            FIRST MARYLAND BANCORP
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                   Maryland
        (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)


          1-7273                                    52-0981378
   (Commission File Number)            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


           25 S. Charles Street
            Baltimore, Maryland                         21201
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)            (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(410) 244-4000


                                Not Applicable
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
                        ______________________________


Item 7. Exhibits

(c)  Exhibits

      1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated May 25, 1999, between First Maryland
             Bancorp and Salomon Smith Barney Inc., Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and
             J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

     12.1    Statement re computation of ratios for the three months ended March
                       --
             31, 1999, and for the years ended December 31, 1998, 1997, 1996,
             1995 and 1994


                                  SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Date: May 25, 1999                       FIRST MARYLAND BANCORP


                                         By: /s/ DAVID M. CRONIN
                                            ------------------------------
                                             David M. Cronin, Executive Vice
                                             President and Treasurer


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------


Exhibit      Description                                           Page
- -------      -----------                                           ----

1.1          Underwriting Agreement, dated May 25, 1999, between
             First Maryland Bancorp and Salomon Smith
             Barney Inc., Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and
             J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

 12.1        Statement re computation
                     --
             of ratios

EX-1.1

                                                                     Exhibit 1.1

                            FIRST MARYLAND BANCORP
                         Subordinated Debt Securities



                            Underwriting Agreement

                                                                  May 25, 1999

Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Salomon Smith Barney Inc.,
388 Greenwich Street,
New York, New York 10013.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  First Maryland Bancorp, a Maryland corporation (the
"Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to
issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the
"Underwriters") an aggregate of $100,000,000 principal amount of the
Subordinated Debt Securities (the "Securities").

1.       The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:

(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-28479)(the "Initial
Registration Statement") in respect of the Securities has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore
delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto but including all documents
incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained therein, for each of the
other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form;
other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering
(a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became effective upon
filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or
document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed with the
Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial
Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has
been initiated or threatened by the Commission; promptly after the execution of
this Agreement, the Company will file with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) of the Act a prospectus supplement relating to the Securities (the
"Prospectus Supplement"), together with the related prospectus dated June 17,
1997 (the "Base Prospectus"), and has previously advised you of all information
(financial and other) set forth therein (any preliminary prospectus supplement
used prior to the date of this Agreement, together with the related base
prospectus, included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) or 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the Act, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the
various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto but excluding
Form T-1 and including (i) the information contained in the form of final
Prospectus Supplement and Base Prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by
virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial


Registration Statement, at the time it was declared effective or such part of
the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, become effective or hereafter
becomes effective and (ii) the documents incorporated by reference in the
prospectus contained in the Initial Registration Statement at the time such part
of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement, if any, become effective or hereafter becomes
effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration
Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, became effective, are
hereinafter collectively called the "Registration Statement"; and such final
Prospectus Supplement and Base Prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; and any
reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed
to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant
to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment or
supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and incorporated by reference in such
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to
any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and
include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement
that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement);

(a) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has
been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of
filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the
Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"),
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements
or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
expressly for use therein;

(a) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they became
effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in
all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none
of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further

                                       2


amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are
filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any
statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through Salomon Smith
Barney Inc. expressly for use therein;

(a) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will
conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust
Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do
not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to
the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any
statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through Salomon Smith
Barney Inc. expressly for use therein;

(a) None of the Company, FMB Bank ("FMB") or First Omni Bank, N.A. ("Omni", and
together with FMB, the "Bank Subsidiaries"), has sustained since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire,
explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise
than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt
of the Company or either Bank Subsidiary or any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the
management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of
the Company or either Bank Subsidiary, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus;

(a) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with power
and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a
foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing
under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties
or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to
no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified
in any such jurisdiction; and the Company is duly registered as a bank holding
company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the "BHC Act");

(a) FMB has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Maryland and has full corporate authority to
conduct operations as a commercial bank therein; and Omni has been duly
organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
United States of America and has full authority to conduct operations as a
national bank;

(a) The deposit accounts of FMB and Omni are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") to the fullest extent permitted by law and the
rules and regulations of the FDIC, and no proceedings for the termination of
such insurance are pending or threatened;

                                       3


(a) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus,
and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and all of
the issued shares of common stock are owned by Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.
("AIB"); and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Bank Subsidiary
have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable (subject, however, to the provisions of Section 55 of Title 12 of
the United States Code and any comparable provision of applicable law) and
(except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by
the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;

(a) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered
pursuant to this Agreement, will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued
and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company entitled to the benefits provided by the indenture, dated as of May 15,
1992 (as supplemented by resolutions adopted on June 27, 1997 by the Special
Group appointed by the Board of Directors of the Company, the "Indenture"),
between the Company and Bankers Trust Company, as Trustee (the "Trustee"), under
which they are to be issued, which is in the form filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized and duly
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and legally
binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity
principles; and the Securities and the Indenture will conform to the
descriptions thereof in the Prospectus;

(a) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with
all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not
conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is subject, other than such conflicts, breaches,
violations or defaults as would not have a material adverse effect on the
financial condition, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, nor will such action result in
any violation of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of
the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties; and no consent, approval,
authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or
governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities
or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or the Indenture, except the registration under the Act of the
Securities, such as have been obtained under the Trust Indenture Act and such
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase
and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;

(a) Neither the Company nor any Bank Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its
Articles of Incorporation or By-laws or (ii) in default in the performance or
observance of any obligation, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument
to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound,
other than (in the case of this clause (ii)) such defaults as would not have a
material adverse effect on the financial condition, stockholders' equity or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

                                       4


(a) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of
Securities", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the
Securities, are accurate, complete and fair;

(a) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate (and in the latter case, in
the opinion of the Company based on the ultimate probable determination of all
such proceedings) have a material adverse effect on the current or future
financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others; and none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
party to or otherwise the subject of any consent decree, memorandum of
understanding, written commitment or other supervisory agreement with the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve Board or any Federal Reserve Bank (the
"Federal Reserve"), the FDIC, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the
Office of Thrift Supervision, or any other federal or state authority or agency
responsible for the supervision, regulation or insurance of depository
institutions or their holding companies;

(a) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the
Securities will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an
"investment company", as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");

(a) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business with the
government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba within the
meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;

(a) PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P., who have certified financial statements of
the Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 1998, December 31, 1997,
December 31, 1996 and December 31, 1995, are independent public accountants as
required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

(a) The financial statements, including the notes thereto and the supporting
schedules, included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the entities
purported to be shown thereby, in each case at the dates indicated, and the
results of their operations for the periods specified; and said financial
statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a consistent basis except as otherwise stated therein. The
pro forma financial statements and selected pro forma financial data included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus comply in all material respects with
the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the Commission and have been
properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in
the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are
appropriate to summarize fairly, in all material respects, the pro forma
financial position and results of operations of the entities purported to be
shown thereby at the dates indicated and for the periods specified;

1. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of
98.965% of the principal amount thereof,

                                       5


the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.

1. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Securities, the several
Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale upon the terms and
conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

(a) The Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder will be
represented by one or more definitive global Securities in book-entry form which
will be deposited by or on behalf of the Company with The Depository Trust
Company ("DTC") or its designated custodian. The Company will deliver the
Securities to Salomon Smith Barney Inc., for the account of each Underwriter,
against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price
therefor by certified or official bank check or checks, payable to the order of
the Company in Federal (same day) funds by causing DTC to credit the Securities
to the account of Salomon Smith Barney Inc. at DTC. The Company will cause the
certificates representing the Securities to be made available to Salomon Smith
Barney Inc. for checking at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of
Delivery (as defined below) at the office of DTC or its designated custodian
(the "Designated Office"). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall
be 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on June 1, 1999 or such other time and date as
Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time
and date are herein called the "Time of Delivery".

(a) The documents to be delivered at the Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the
parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the cross-receipt for the
Securities and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant
to Section 7(h) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Simpson Thacher &
Bartlett, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017-3954 (the "Closing
Location"), and the Securities will be delivered at the Designated Office, all
at the Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 2:00
p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding the Time
of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered
pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties
hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, "New York Business Day" shall mean
each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which
banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by
law or executive order to close.

1. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:

(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such
Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission's
close of business on the second business day following the execution and
delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be
required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus prior to the Time of
Delivery which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice
thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time
when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes
effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been
filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and
any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the
Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the
delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of
the Securities; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus, of

                                       6


the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in
any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any
such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or
supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or
suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain
the withdrawal of such order. If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b),
the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission
in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date
of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the
Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give
irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b)
under the Act;

(a) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request
to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of
such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such laws so as to
permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for
as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities,
provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to
qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction;

(a) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next
succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the
Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities
as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required
at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of
the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and if
at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus
as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made
when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason
it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the
Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or
the Trust Indenture Act, to notify you and upon your request to file such
document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to
any dealer in securities as many copies as you may from time to time reasonably
request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any
Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any
of the Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the
Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare
and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as you may request of an amended
or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;

(a) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable,
but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)), an earnings statement of the
Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section
11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

(a) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and
including the later of the Time of Delivery and such earlier time as you may
notify the Company,

                                       7


not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided
hereunder any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the
Securities;

(a) To furnish to the holders of the Securities as soon as practicable after the
end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and
statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as
soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each
fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date
of the Registration Statement), consolidated summary financial information of
the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail;

(a) During a period of five years from the effective date of the Registration
Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications
(financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to you (i) as
soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements
furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on
which the Securities or any class of securities of the Company is listed; and
(ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition
of the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the
Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its
stockholders generally or to the Commission); and

(a) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus Supplement
under the caption "Use of Proceeds".

1. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the
Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements
and expenses of the Company's counsel and the Company's accountants in
connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies
thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing
any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Indenture, the Blue Sky
and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any compilations
thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale
and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the
qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities
laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in
connection with the Blue Sky and legal investment surveys; (iv) any fees charged
by securities rating services for rating the Securities; (v) the cost of
preparing the Securities; (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any
agent of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee
in connection with the Indenture and the Securities; and (vii) all other costs
and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are
not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood,
however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof,
the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the
fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by
them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

1. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder shall be subject, in their
discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other
statements of the Company herein are, at and as of the Time of Delivery, true
and correct, the condition that the

                                       8


Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be
performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules
and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; if the
Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on
the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the
Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

(a) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have
furnished to you such opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, with
respect to the matters covered in paragraphs (i), (vi), (vii), (viii), (xii),
(xiii) and (xv) of subsection (c) below as well as such other related matters as
you may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and
information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such
matters;

(a) Gregory K. Thoreson, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the
Company shall have furnished to you his written opinion, dated the Time of
Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect that:

(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with power
and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly registered as a
bank holding company under the BHC Act;

(i) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus,
and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and all of
the issued shares of common stock are owned by AIB;

(i) FMB has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Maryland and has full corporate authority to
conduct operations as a commercial bank therein; and Omni has been duly
organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
United States of America and has full authority to conduct operations as a
national bank;

(i) All of the issued shares of capital stock of each Bank Subsidiary have been
duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and
(except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by
the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;

(i) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set forth in the
Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely
to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the
aggregate (and in the latter case, in the opinion of the Company based on the
ultimate probable determination of all such proceedings) have a material

                                       9


adverse effect on the current or future consolidated financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings
are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by
others; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries is party to or otherwise the subject of any consent
decree, memorandum of understanding, written commitment or other supervisory
agreement with the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the Office of the Comptroller of
the Currency, or any other federal or state authority or agency responsible for
the supervision, regulation or insurance of depository institutions or their
holding companies;

(i)   This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company;

(i) The Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued
and delivered and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; and the Securities
and the Indenture conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus;

(i) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company and, assuming the due authorization and execution thereof by the
Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable against
the Company in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles; and
the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;

(i) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with
all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not
conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, other than such conflicts,
breaches, violations or defaults as would not have a material adverse effect on
the financial condition, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, nor will such actions result in
any violation of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of
the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties;

(i) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of
or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue
and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture, except such as
have been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required
under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;

(i) Neither the Company nor any Bank Subsidiary is in violation of its Articles
of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the performance or observance of
any material obligation, covenant or condition contained in any material
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be
bound, except for such defaults as would not have a

                                       10


material adverse effect on the financial condition, stockholders' equity or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(i) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of
Securities", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the
Securities, are accurate, complete and fair;

(i) The Company is not required to register as an "investment company", as such
term is defined in the Investment Company Act;

(i) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further
amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of
Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or
were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all
material respects with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and
nothing has come to his attention which has caused him to believe that any of
such documents, when such documents were so filed contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading; and

(i) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any further amendments and
supplements thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other
than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder; although he does not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those referred to in the
opinion in subsection (xii) of this Section 7(c), nothing has come to his
attention which has caused him to believe that, as of its effective date, the
Registration Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the Company
prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related
schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or that, as of its date, the Prospectus or any further amendment or
supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than
the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel
need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or
that, as of the Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company
prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related
schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contains an
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; and he does not know of any amendment to the
Registration Statement required to be filed or of any contracts or other
documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which
are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as required.

                                       11


(a) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this
Agreement, at 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on the effective date of any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the
date of this Agreement and also at the Time of Delivery, PricewaterhouseCoopers
L.L.P. shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective
dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the
effect set forth in Annex I(a) hereto.

(a) (i) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained
since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered
by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order
or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and
(ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or
long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs,
management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described
in Clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public
offering or the delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus;

(a) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the
rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally recognized
statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the Commission for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall
have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible
negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities;

(a) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof
with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next
succeeding the date of this Agreement; and

(a) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at the
Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to you as
to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at
and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of
its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery,
as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to
such other matters as you may reasonably request.

(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an

                                       12


untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through Salomon
Smith Barney Inc. expressly for use therein.

(a) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject,
under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment
or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

(a) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b)
above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall,
if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under
such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement
thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve
it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than
under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any
indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to
the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party
similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the
indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from
the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume
the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not, save as set forth below,
be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses
of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party's
election to assume the defense as set out above, the indemnified party shall
have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the
indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such
separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to
represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of
interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such
action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal
defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different
from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the
indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time
after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party
shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense
of the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall, without the written
consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened
action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be
sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is

                                       13


an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement,
compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not
include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to
act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(a) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b)
above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the
offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the
immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the
indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion
as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received
by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received
by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of
the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the
other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and
the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if
the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be
deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the
public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this subsection
(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.

(a) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in addition to
any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the
same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under
this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective
Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same

                                       14


terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

(a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Securities which it has agreed to purchase hereunder, you may in your discretion
arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Securities on
the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any
Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the
Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which
to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such
Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed
periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the purchase of
such Securities, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for the
purchase of such Securities, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone
the Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to
effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the
Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted
under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a
party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.

(a) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such
Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the
aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have
the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal
amount of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder and, in
addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata
share (based on the principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter agreed
to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein
shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

(a) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of Securities
which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount
of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described
in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase
Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement
shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company
and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and
contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

1. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of
the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and
payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such time any of the
following shall have occurred: (i) a suspension or material limitation in
trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the
New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities declared by either Federal or New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania or
Delaware State authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities
involving the United States or the declaration by the United

                                       15


States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified
in this Clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;

1. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other
statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this
Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.

1. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the
Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as
provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason, the
Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein,
the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket
expenses approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of
counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the
purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities, but the Company shall then be
under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 6
and 8 hereof.

1. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or
given by Salomon Smith Barney Inc. on behalf of you as the Representatives.

   All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on
receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or
telefaxed to the Salomon Smith Barney Inc. General Counsel (fax no.: (212) 816-
7912) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Salomon Smith Barney Inc., at 388
Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10013, Attention: General Counsel; and if
to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration
Statement, Attention: Gregory K. Thoreson (Fax: 410-244-3817);

1. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the
Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and 11
hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls
the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors,
administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or
have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the
Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason
merely of such purchase.

1. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term
"business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in Washington,
D.C. is open for business.

1. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of New York.

                                       16


1. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in
any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but
all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
instrument.

                                       17


                  If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding,
please sign and return to us six counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance
hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such
acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the
Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this
letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set
forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be
submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on
your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.


                                        Very truly yours,


                                        First Maryland Bancorp


                                        By: /s/ David M. Cronin
                                            ------------------------------
                                            Name: David M. Cronin
                                            Title: Executive Vice President
                                                        and Treasurer


Accepted as of the date hereof:

Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.


By:  Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
    --------------------------
     (Salomon Smith Barney Inc.)

                                       18


                                  SCHEDULE I



                                                            Principal
                                                            Amount of
                                                           Securities
                                                              to be
                    Underwriter                             Purchased
                    -----------                             ---------
                                                       
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.                                  $ 33,333,334
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.                                     33,333,333
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.                                  33,333,333
                                                           ------------
         Total                                             $100,000,000
                                                           ============


                                      19


                                                                      ANNEX I(a)

                     FORM OF DESCRIPTION OF COMFORT LETTER
                    FOR REGISTRATION STATEMENTS ON FORM S-3

      Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement,
PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the
effect that:

(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to the
Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
published rules and regulations thereunder;

1.1.1 In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary financial
information and schedules (and, if applicable, prospective financial statements
and/or pro forma financial information) of the Company examined by them and
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they
have made a review in accordance with standards established by the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated interim financial
statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information,
prospective financial statements and/or condensed financial statements derived
from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in
such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been
furnished to the representatives of the Underwriters (the "Representatives");

                                      20


1.1.1 They have made a review in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited condensed
consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated
statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included in the
Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which are attached
hereto; and on the basis of specified procedures including inquiries of
officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting
matters regarding whether the unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to
their attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange
Act and the related published rules and regulations;

1.1.1 The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the
consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company for the
two most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and included or
incorporated by reference in

                                      21


Item 6 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal
year agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable)
in the audited consolidated financial statements for such two fiscal years which
were included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Reports on
Form 10-K for such fiscal years; 1.1.2 On the basis of limited procedures, not
constituting an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards, consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and
other information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the
minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries
responsible for financial and accounting matters and such other inquiries and
procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention
that caused them to believe that:

1.1.1.1 (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included
in the Prospectus and/or included or incorporated by reference in the Company's
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do
not comply as to form

                                      22


in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations, or (ii) any
material modifications should be made to the unaudited consolidated statements
of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, for them to be in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles;

1.1.1.1 any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items
included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding items in the
unaudited consolidated financial statements from which such data and items were
derived, and any such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis
substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding amounts in the
audited consolidated financial statements included or incorporated by reference
in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;

1.1.1.1 the unaudited financial statements which were not included in the
Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed financial
statements referred to in Clause (A) and any unaudited income statement data and
balance sheet items included in the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B)
were not determined on a basis

                                      23


substantially consistent with the basis for the audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-
K for the most recent fiscal year;

1.1.1.1 any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments
have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of
those statements;

1.1.1.1 as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of such
letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated capital stock (other
than issuances of capital stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation
rights, upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of convertible
securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of the latest
balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) or any
increase in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries,
or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholders' equity or
other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items
specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in
the latest balance sheet included or

                                      24


incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes,
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur
or which are described in such letter; and

1.1.1.1 for the period from the date of the latest financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to the specified date referred to
in Clause (E) there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating
profit or the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other
items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified
by the Representatives, in each case as compared with the comparable period of
the preceding year and with any other period of corresponding length specified
by the Representatives, except in each case for increases or decreases which the
Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such
letter; and

1.1.1 In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s) included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures,
inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in
paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified
procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance with generally
accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
financial information

                                      25


specified by the Representatives which are derived from the general accounting
records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus
(excluding documents incorporated by reference) or in Part II of, or in exhibits
and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or
in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the
Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages and
financial information with the accounting records of the Company and its
subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.

                                      26

EX-12.1

                                                                    Exhibit 12.1


                            First Maryland Bancorp
             Computation of thE Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges



                                                                Three
                                                                Months
                                                                 Ended
                                                               March 31,              Years Ended December 31,
                                                               ---------  ------------------------------------------------
                                                                 1999       1998      1997      1996      1995      1994
                                                               ---------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------
                                                                                 (dollars in thousands)
                                                                                                
Excluding interest on deposits
Fixed Charges:
  Interest on long-term debt and short-term
     borrowings (a)......................................       $ 40,679  $143,898  $148,110  $110,149  $108,982  $ 71,908
  Portion of rent deemed representative
     of the interest factor (b)..........................          1,870     8,219     8,388     6,564     6,873     7,058
                                                                --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------
        Total fixed charges..............................       $ 42,549  $152,117  $156,498  $116,713  $115,855  $ 78,966

Earnings:
  Net income.............................................       $ 42,418  $218,123  $151,188  $132,337  $120,187  $111,140
  Income taxes...........................................         24,844   124,467    84,301    74,850    63,992    59,288
Fixed charges............................................         42,549   152,117   156,498   116,713   115,855    78,966
                                                                --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------
        Total earnings...................................       $109,811  $494,707  $391,987  $323,900  $300,034  $249,394

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges.......................          2.58x     3.25x     2.50x     2.78x     2.59x     3.16x

Including interest on deposits
Fixed Charges:
  Interest on long-term debt and short-term
     borrowings and deposits (a).........................       $132,588  $534,178  $445,754  $315,318  $314,548  $241,099
  Portion of rent deemed representative
     of the interest factor (b)..........................          1,870     8,219     8,388     6,564     6,873     7,058
                                                                --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------
        Total fixed charges..............................       $134,458  $542,397  $454,142  $321,882  $321,421  $248,157

Earnings:
  Net income.............................................       $ 42,418  $218,123  $151,188  $132,337  $120,187  $111,140
  Income taxes...........................................         24,844   124,467    84,301    74,850    63,992    59,288
Fixed charges............................................        134,458   542,397   454,142   321,882   321,421   248,157
                                                                --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------
     Total earnings......................................       $201,720  $884,987  $689,631  $529,069  $505,600  $418,585

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges.......................          1.50x     1.63x     1.52x     1.64x     1.57x     1.69x


________________
(a)  Includes the amortization of deferred note issue expenses.
(b)  One third of rents is deemed representative of the interest factor.