EXHIBIT 23(a)

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

     We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement on Form S-4 of
our report, which includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the change in
the method of accounting for postemployment benefits and investment securities
for the year ended 1994, and a change in the method of accounting for
postretirement benefits other than pensions and income taxes for the year ended
1993, dated January 18, 1995 (January 20, 1995 as to Note 28), on our audit(s)
of the consolidated financial statements of Midlantic Corporation and
subsidiaries as of December 31, 1994 and 1993 and for each of the three years in
the period ended December 31, 1994. We also consent to the reference
to our firm under the caption of "Experts."

COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.

New York, New York
April 28, 1995