ANNAPOLIS CONVENTION, a gathering of delegates from several States, of great importance in the movement for a federal convention to revise the articles of confederation. From early colonial days there had been differences of opinion between citizens of Maryland and Virginia relative to the jurisdiction over the waters of Chesapeake Bay and the rivers common to both States. In March, 1785, commissioners representing Mary land and Virginia met at Alexandria for the purpose of arriving at some agreement for the regulation of trade upon these waters. After a session of four days they removed to Mt. Vernon where they finished drawing up a formal compact for joint control. On Dec. 5, 1785, the adhesion of Maryland to the compact was laid before the Virginia legislature, which thereupon promptly an nounced its approval. In the communication from the legislature of Maryland to the Virginia legislature, a proposal was made to invite commissioners from all the States to meet fin-the purpose of agreeing upon general commercial regulations. This led to the passage of the well-known resolution of the Virginia legislature (Jan. 21, 1786) which appointed commissioners to meet such com missioners as might be appointed by the other States in the Union to take into consideration the trade of the United States. In answer to this call, five States sent delegates to a convention to be held in Sept. 1786, in the city of Annapolis, Maryland. The States represented at the Annapolis convention were New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia. The conven tion formally opened on Sept. 11, and adjourned on Sept. 14, 1786. New Jersey alone had been liberal in the matter of instruc tions. The delegates from the other States were given but little latitude as to their decisions. Because of these restrictions and also because less than half of the States were represented at Annapolis, it was soon apparent that the work of the convention could be merely of a preliminary character. On Sept. 14, the convention adopted an address framed by Alexander Hamilton which prepared the way for the federal convention of 1787. In a concluding paragraph, the delegates, "with the most respectful deference, beg leave to suggest their unanimous conviction, that it may essentially tend to advance the interests of the Union, if the States . . . would use their endeavors to procure the con currence of the other States, in the appointment of commissioners, to meet at Philadelphia, on the second Monday in May next, to take into consideration the situation of the United States." See J. Elliot, Debates in the State Conventions (1854) ; K. M. Rowland, Life of George Mason (1892) ; G. Bancroft, History of the Formation of the Constitution (1882) ; G. T. Curtis, History of the Origin, Formation, and Adoption of the Constitution (1854) ; and H. J. Ford, Alexander Hamilton (192o). (C. C. TA.)