UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 14A

          Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                    Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.  )

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     COMMISSION ONLY (AS PERMITTED BY
     RULE 14A-6(E)(2))

[X]  Definitive Proxy Statement

[_]  Definitive Additional Materials

[_]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to (S) 240.14a-11(c) or (S) 240.14a-12

                            THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY
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               (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)


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   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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Notes:

The Adams Express Company

Seven St. Paul Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21202

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

February 13, 2004

To the Stockholders of

           THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY:

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), will be held at The Center Club, 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, on Tuesday, March 30, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., for the following purposes:

(1) to elect directors as identified in the Proxy Statement for the ensuing year;

(2) to consider and vote upon the ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the firm of independent auditors to audit the books and accounts of the Company for or during the year ending December 31, 2004; and

(3) to transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Stockholders of record, as shown by the transfer books of the Company, at the close of business on February 13, 2004, are entitled to notice of and to vote at this meeting.

By order of the Board of Directors,

LAWRENCE L. HOOPER, JR.

Vice President, General Counsel

and Secretary

Baltimore, MD

Note: Stockholders who do not expect to attend the meeting are requested to fill in, sign, date and return the accompanying proxy in the enclosed envelope without delay. Telephone and Internet voting are also offered.

The Adams Express Company

Seven St. Paul Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Proxy Statement

The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of The Adams Express Company, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), will be held Tuesday, March 30, 2004, for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting. This statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of proxies to be used at the meeting and at any and all adjournments thereof and is first being sent to stockholders on or about February 20, 2004.

At the Annual Meeting, action is to be taken on (1) the election of a Board of Directors; (2) the ratification of the selection of independent auditors; and (3) the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

Except for Proposals (1) and (2) referred to above, the proxies confer discretionary authority on the persons named therein or their substitutes with respect to any business that may properly come before the meeting. Stockholders retain the right to revoke executed proxies at any time before they are voted by written notice to the Company, by executing a later dated proxy, or by appearing and voting at the meeting. All shares represented at the meeting by proxies in the accompanying form will be voted, provided that such proxies are properly signed. In cases where a choice is indicated, the shares represented will be voted in accordance with the specifications so made. In cases where no specifications are made, the shares represented will be voted for the election of directors and for Proposal (2). Under Maryland law, there are no appraisal or other dissenter rights with respect to any matter to be voted on at the Annual Meeting that is described herein.

The Company will pay all costs of soliciting proxies in the accompanying form. See “Other Matters and Annual Report” below. Solicitation will be made by mail, and officers, regular employees, and agents of the Company may also solicit proxies by telephone or personal interview. The Company expects to request brokers and nominees who hold stock in their names to furnish this proxy material to their customers and to solicit proxies from them, and will reimburse such brokers and nominees for their out-of-pocket and reasonable clerical expenses in connection therewith.

Shares Outstanding and Entitled to be Voted at Meeting

Only stockholders of record at the close of business February 13, 2004, may vote at the Annual Meeting. The total number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding and entitled to be voted on the record date was 84,629,512. Each share is entitled to one vote. The Company has no other class of security outstanding. For Proposal (1), referred to above, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at the meeting. Proposal (2) referred to above, requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting. Unless otherwise required by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or By-laws, or by applicable Maryland law, any other matter properly presented for a vote at the meeting will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting. Proxies received by the Company that are marked “withhold authority” or abstain, or that constitute a broker non-vote, are counted as present for purposes of determining a quorum at the meeting. Broker non-votes are shares held in the name of a broker or nominee for which the broker or nominee indicates that instructions have not been received from the beneficial owner or person entitled to vote

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and the broker or nominee does not have discretionary voting power. Proxies marked “withhold authority”, abstentions and broker non-votes do not count as votes cast with respect to any proposal, and therefore, such proxies would have no effect on the outcome of Proposals (1) and (2) above.

As of December 31, 2003, the Company knows of no person or group of persons that owns beneficially more than 5 percent of the outstanding Common Stock of the Company, except as set forth immediately below. According to information he has provided to the Company, Erik E. Bergstrom and related persons, directly and indirectly, owns 6,985,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company, which represents 8.2% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock. Mr. Bergstrom disclaimed beneficial ownership of certain of these shares. Mr. Bergstrom's address is P.O. Box 126, Palo Alto, CA 94302.

(1) NOMINEES FOR ELECTION AS DIRECTORS

Unless contrary instructions are given by the stockholder signing a proxy, it is intended that each proxy in the accompanying form will be voted at the Annual Meeting for the election of the following nominees to the Board of Directors for the ensuing year, all of whom have consented to serve if elected:

If for any reason one or more of the nominees above named shall become unable or unwilling to serve when the election occurs, proxies in the accompanying form will, in the absence of contrary instructions, be voted for the election of the other nominees above named and may be voted for substitute nominees in the discretion of the persons named as proxies in the accompanying form. As an alternative to proxies being voted for substitute nominees, the size of the Board of Directors may be reduced so that there are no vacancies caused by a nominee above named becoming unable or unwilling to serve. The directors elected will serve until the next annual meeting or until their successors are elected, except as otherwise provided in the By-laws of the Company.

Information as to Nominees for Election as Directors (as of December 31, 2003)

Set forth below with respect to each nominee for director are his or her name and age, any positions held with the Company, other principal occupations during the past five years, other directorships and business affiliations, the year in which he or she first became a director, and the

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number of shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned by him or her. Also set forth below is the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by all the directors and officers of the Company as a group. A separate table is provided showing the dollar value range of the shares beneficially owned by each director.

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The address for each director is the Company’s office, Seven St. Paul Street, Suite 1140, Baltimore, MD 21202.

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The nominees for election as directors of the Company identified above are also the nominees for election to the Board of Directors of Petroleum & Resources Corporation (“Petroleum”), the Company’s non-controlled affiliate, of which the Company owned 1,985,996 shares or approximately 9.1% of Petroleum’s outstanding Common Stock on December 31, 2003.

Process for Stockholders to Communicate with Board

The Board of Directors has implemented a process for stockholders of the Company to send communications to the Board. Any stockholder desiring to communicate with the Board, or with specific individual directors, may so do by writing to the Secretary of the Company, at The Adams Express Company, Seven St. Paul Street, Suite 1140, Baltimore, MD 21202. The Secretary has been instructed by the Board to promptly forward all such communications to the addressees indicated thereon.

Policy on Board of Directors’ Attendance at Annual Meetings

The Company’s policy with regard to attendance by the Board of Directors at Annual Meetings is that all directors are expected to attend, absent unusual and extenuating circumstances that prohibit a director from attending. The number of directors who attended the 2003 Annual Meeting was 8 (out of 11 directors).

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Each director and officer of the Company who is subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is required to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission by a specified date his or her beneficial ownership of or transactions in the Company’s securities. Based upon a review of filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and written representation that no other reports are required, the Company has no reason to believe that any such director or officer has not filed all requisite reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a timely basis during 2003, with the exception that Mr. Ober reported late a sale of Company stock, which sale was in connection with an exempt transaction under Rule 16b-3 and has since been reported.

Information as to Other Executive Officers

Set forth below are the names, ages and positions with the Company of all executive officers of the Company other than those who also serve as directors. Executive officers serve as such until the election of their successors.

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Mr. Lawrence L. Hooper, Jr., 51, has served as Vice President since March 30, 1999, and as General Counsel and Secretary since April 1, 1997. Prior thereto, he was a partner in Tydings & Rosenberg L.L.P., a Baltimore, Maryland law firm.

Ms. Maureen A. Jones, 56, has served as Chief Financial Officer since March 26, 2002, as Vice President since January 1, 1998, and as Treasurer since January 1, 1993.

Mr. Joseph M. Truta, 59, has served as President since April 1, 1986.

Board Meetings and Committees of the Board

Overall attendance at the twelve meetings of the Board held in 2003 was approximately 90%. Each Director attended at least 75% of the total of all (i) meetings of the Board and (ii) meetings of Committees of the Board on which he or she served in 2003, except for Mr. Kelly.

Audit Committee

Messrs. Arzac, Neff, Peters, and Roberts, and Ms. McGahran, each of whom is an independent director as such is defined by the Rules of the New York Stock Exchange, and none of whom is an “interested person” as such is defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, constitute the membership of the Board’s standing Audit Committee, which met four times in 2003. The Board has determined that the Company has two audit committee financial experts, as that term is defined in federal regulations, serving on the Committee. These individuals are Mr. Arzac and Ms. McGahran. The Board has adopted a written charter under which the Audit Committee operates, which was most recently amended in January 2004. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter is attached as Exhibit A. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter is also available on the Company’s website: www.adamsexpress.com. Mr. Arzac serves on the audit committees of 8 funds managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management, as well as that of Petroleum, which funds are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Board has determined that such simultaneous service would not impair his ability to effectively serve on the Company’s Audit Committee. Set forth below is the report of the Audit Committee:

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Audit Committee Report

The purposes of the Committee are set forth in the Committee’s written charter. As provided in the charter, the role of the Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight on matters relating to accounting, financial reporting, internal control, auditing, and regulatory compliance activities, and other matters the Board deems appropriate. The Committee also selects the Company’s independent auditors in accordance with the provisions set out in the Charter. Management, however, is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements, and for the procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. The independent auditors are responsible for planning and carrying out proper audits and reviews.

In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements contained in the 2003 Annual Report of the Company with the Company’s management and the independent auditors. In addition, the Committee has discussed with the independent auditors the matters required to be discussed pursuant to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 61, as modified or supplemented. The Committee has also received from the independent auditors the written statement regarding independence as required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, considered whether the provision of nonaudit services by the independent auditors is compatible with maintaining the auditors’ independence, and discussed with the auditors the auditors’ independence.

In reliance on the reviews and discussions with management and the independent auditors referred to above, and subject to the limitations on the responsibilities and role of the Committee set forth in the charter and discussed above, the Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s 2003 Annual Report, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Respectfully submitted on February 12, 2004, by the members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors:

Enrique R. Arzac, Chairman

Kathleen T. McGahran

W. Perry Neff

Landon Peters

John J. Roberts

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Compensation Committee

Messrs. Emerson, MacCallan, Peters, Wilson, and Ms. Schwab constitute the membership of the Board’s standing Compensation Committee, which met three times during 2003. The Compensation Committee reviews and recommends changes in the salaries of directors, executive officers, officers, and employees, and advises upon the compensation and stock option plans in which the executive officers, officers, and employees of the Company are eligible to participate.

Executive Committee

Messrs. Emerson, Kelly, Lenagh, Ober*, Roberts, Wilson, and Mses. Bonanno and Schwab constitute the membership of the Board’s standing Executive Committee, which met twice during 2003. The Committee has the authority of the Board of Directors between meetings of the Board except as limited by law, the Company’s By-laws, or Board resolution. The Executive Committee, minus Mr. Ober, also performs the duties of a nominating committee, as discussed below.

Nominating Committee

The Company does not have a separate standing nominating committee. Instead, certain members of the Executive Committee perform the functions of a nominating committee for the Board (hereinafter called the “Nominating Committee”). The Nominating Committee is comprised of the directors who serve on the Company’s Executive Committee, minus Mr. Ober, who is an “interested person”, as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Thus, Messrs. Emerson, Kelly, Lenagh, Roberts, and Wilson, and Mses. Bonanno and Schwab, each of whom is not an “interested person” of the Company, constitute the Nominating Committee. The Executive Committee, minus Mr. Ober, acting as the Nominating Committee, met once during 2003. In February 2004, the Board adopted a written charter under which the Nominating Committee operates, a copy of which is available to stockholders at the Company’s website: www.adamsexpress.com.

The Nominating Committee will consider unsolicited recommendations for director candidates from stockholders of the Company. Stockholders may recommend candidates for consideration by the Nominating Committee by writing to the Secretary of the Company at the office of the Company, Seven St. Paul Street, Suite 1140, Baltimore, MD 21202, giving the candidate’s name, biographical data and qualifications and stating whether the candidate would be an “interested person” of the Company. A written statement from the candidate, consenting to be named as a candidate, and if nominated and elected, to serve as a director, should accompany any such recommendation.

The process that the Nominating Committee uses for identifying and evaluating nominees for director is as follows: When there is a vacancy on the Board, either through the retirement of a director or the Board’s determination that the size of the Board should be increased, nominations to fill that vacancy are traditionally made by current, independent directors on the Board. The name of any individual recommended by an independent director is provided to Mr. Ober, who contacts the prospective director nominee and meets with him or her. The members of the Nominating Committee then meet with the prospective director nominee. If a majority of the Nominating Committee members are satisfied that the prospective director nominee is qualified and will make a positive addition to the Board, as many of the other independent directors meet with him or her as is possible. The

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Nominating Committee then nominates the candidate at a meeting of the Board and a vote is taken by the full Board on whether to elect the nominee to the Board and to include the nominee in the Company’s proxy for election at the next Annual Meeting of stockholders. The Company anticipates that a similar process will be used for any qualified director candidate properly recommended by a stockholder. In 2003, two new directors were identified, evaluated, nominated and elected in this fashion. Both Ms. Bonanno and Ms. McGahran were recommended to the Nominating Committee by independent directors. The Company did not use a third party to recommend director candidates in 2003.

Retirement Benefits Committee

Messrs. Arzac, Kelly, Lenagh, MacCallan, and Neff are the director members of the standing Retirement Benefits Committee of the Company, which administers the Employees’ Retirement Plan, Supplemental Retirement Plan and the Employee Thrift Plan of the Company. This Committee met once during 2003.

Board of Directors Compensation

During 2003, each director who is not an interested person received an annual retainer fee of $10,000 and a fee of $500 for each Board meeting attended. All members of each Committee, except executive officers and/or interested persons, receive an additional annual retainer fee of $1,500 for each committee membership and a fee of $500 for each meeting attended; the Chairman of each committee, except for the Executive Committee, receives an additional fee of $500 for each committee meeting attended. The total amount of fees paid to the independent directors in 2003 was $215,334.

Transactions with Petroleum & Resources Corporation

The Company shares certain expenses for research, accounting services and other office services (including proportionate salaries and other employee benefits), rent and related expenses, and miscellaneous expenses such as office supplies, postage, subscriptions and travel, with Petroleum, of which all of the above-named nominees are also directors. These expenses were paid by the Company and, on the date the payment was made, Petroleum simultaneously paid to the Company its allocated share of such expenses, based on either the proportion of the size of the investment portfolios of the two companies, or, where possible, on an actual usage basis. In 2003, Petroleum’s share of such expenses was $480,433.

Audit Fees

The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by its independent auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, for the audits of the Company’s annual and semi-annual financial statements for 2003 and 2002 were $54,007, and $40,596, respectively.

Audit-Related Fees

There were no audit-related fees in 2003 and 2002.

Tax Fees

The aggregate fees billed to the Company for professional services rendered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for the review of the Company’s excise tax calculations and preparations of federal, state and excise tax returns for 2003 and 2002 were $8,255, and $8,012, respectively.

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All Other Fees

The aggregate fees billed for services to the Company by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, other than the services referenced above, for 2003 was $0, and for 2002 was $2,250, which was related to tax research for option purchasing.

The Board’s Audit Committee has considered the provision by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP of the services covered in this All Other Fees section and found that they are compatible with maintaining PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's independence.

Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy

As of 2003, all services to be performed for the Company by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP must

be pre-approved by the Audit Committee. All services performed for 2003 were pre-approved by the Committee.

Remuneration of Directors and Others

The following table sets forth for each of the persons named below the aggregate current remuneration received from the Company during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, for services in all capacities:

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Stock Option Plan

On December 12, 1985, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted a Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”), which was approved by the stockholders at the March 26, 1986 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and was amended at the March 29, 1994 and March 25, 2003 Annual Meetings of Stockholders. The Plan provides for the grant to “key employees” (as defined in the Plan) of options to purchase shares of Common Stock of the Company, together with related stock appreciation rights. As of December 31, 2003, (i) the number of shares subject to outstanding options under the Plan was 229,364 and (ii) the number of shares available for future grants under the Plan was 1,242,752. All options granted or to be granted under the Plan are treated as non-qualified stock options under the Internal Revenue Code. The Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, which consists of five members of the Board, none of whom is eligible to receive grants under the Plan. The grant of options is at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

The Plan provides that, among other things, (a) the option price per share shall not be less than the fair market value of the Common Stock at the date of grant, except that the option price per share will be reduced after grant of the option to reflect capital gains distributions to the Company’s stockholders, provided that no such reduction shall be made which will reduce the option price below 25% of the original option price; (b) an option will not become exercisable until the optionee shall have remained in the employ of the Company for at least one year after the date of grant and may be exercised for 10 years unless an earlier expiration date is stated in the option; and (c) no option or stock appreciation right shall be granted after December 8, 2006.

The Plan permits the grant of stock appreciation rights in conjunction with the grant of an option, either at the time of the option grant or thereafter during its term and in respect of all or part of such option. Stock appreciation rights permit an optionee to request to receive (a) shares of Common Stock of the Company with a fair market value at the time of exercise equal to the amount by which the fair market value of all shares subject to the option in respect of which such stock appreciation right was granted exceeds the exercise price of such option, (b) in lieu of such shares, the fair market value thereof in cash, or (c) a combination of shares and cash. Stock appreciation rights are exercisable beginning no earlier than two years after the date of grant and extend over the period during which the related option is exercisable. To the extent a stock appreciation right is exercised in whole or in part, the option in respect of which such stock appreciation right was granted shall terminate and cease to be exercisable.

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Shares of Common Stock acquired as the result of the exercise of an option or stock appreciation right may not be sold until the later of two years after the date of grant of the option or one year after the acquisition of such shares.

Employee Thrift Plan

Employees of the Company who have completed six months of service may elect to have 2% to 6% of their base salary deferred as a contribution to a thrift plan instead of being paid to them currently (see table set forth on pages 10 and 11 regarding 2003 contributions for the officers and directors identified therein). The Company (subject to certain limitations) contributes for each employee out of net investment income an amount equal to 200% of each employee’s contribution or to the maximum permitted by law. Employees may also contribute an additional amount of base salary to the thrift plan, but these contributions are not matched by the Company. All employee contributions are credited to the employee’s individual account. Employees may elect that their salary deferral and other contributions be invested in Common Stock of the Company, or of Petroleum, or several mutual funds, or a combination thereof. Fifty percent of the Company’s matching contributions is invested in the Company’s Common Stock, and the remaining fifty percent is invested in the same manner that the employee has elected for his or her contributions. An employee’s interest in amounts derived from the Company’s contributions becomes non-forfeitable upon completion of 36 months of service or upon death or retirement. Payments of amounts not withdrawn or forfeited under the thrift plan may be made upon retirement or other termination of employment in a single distribution, in ten equal installments, or in an annuity.

Employees’ Retirement Plan

The employees of the Company with one or more years of service participate in a retirement plan pursuant to which contributions are made solely by the Company on behalf of, and benefits are provided for, employees meeting certain age and service requirements. The plan provides for the payment of benefits in the event of an employee’s retirement at age 62 or older. Upon such retirement, the amount of the retirement benefit is 2% of an employee’s highest thirty-six months average out of the employee’s final sixty months annual salary, including incentive compensation, multiplied by years of service. Retirement benefits cannot exceed 60% of the highest thirty-six months’ average out of the employee’s final sixty months annual salary including incentive compensation. Benefits are payable in several alternative methods, each of which must be the actuarial equivalent of a pension payable for the life of the employee only. Retirement benefits (subject to any applicable reduction) are also payable in the event of an employee’s early or deferred retirement, disability or death. Contributions are made to a trust to fund these benefits.

On March 10, 1988, the Board of Directors of the Company unanimously approved a supplemental retirement benefits plan (the “Supplemental Plan”) for employees of the Company. On June 11, 1998, the Supplemental Plan was amended and restated as of January 1, 1998. The purpose of the Supplemental Plan is to provide deferred compensation in excess of benefit limitations imposed by the Internal Revenue Code on tax-qualified defined benefit plans, including the retirement plan of the Company described above. In accordance with such limitations, the annual benefit payable under the Company’s retirement plan may not exceed the lesser of $165,000 for 2004 and the employee’s average total compensation paid during the three highest-paid consecutive calendar years of employment. The $165,000 limit will be adjusted by the Secretary of the Treasury to reflect cost-of-living increases.

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The Supplemental Plan authorizes the Company to pay annual retirement benefits in an amount equal to the difference between the maximum benefits payable under the retirement plan described above and the benefits that would otherwise be payable but for the Internal Revenue Code’s limitations on annual retirement benefits. All amounts payable under the Supplemental Plan will be paid from the general funds of the Company as benefits become due. The Company has established a funding vehicle using life insurance policies owned by the Company for the Supplemental Plan. Payment of benefits under the Supplemental Plan will be made concurrently with and in the same form as payment of benefits under the Company’s retirement plan. During 2003, the Company made payments of $18,844 under the Supplemental Plan.

Brokerage Commissions

During the past fiscal year, the Company paid brokerage commissions in the amount of $478,915 on the purchase and sale of portfolio securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System, substantially all of which were paid to brokers providing research and other investment services to the Company. The Company paid brokerage commissions of $106,115 on options written or purchased by the Company. The average per share commission rate paid by the Company was $0.0498. No commissions were paid to an affiliated broker.

Portfolio Turnover

The portfolio turnover rate (purchases or sales, whichever is lower, as a percentage of weighted average portfolio value) for the past three years has been as follows:

Expense Ratio

The ratio of expenses to the average net assets of the Company for the past three years has been as follows:

(2) RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), requires, in effect, that the Company’s independent auditors be selected by the Audit Committee, whose selection thereof is ratified by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not “interested persons” (as defined by the Act) of the Company; that such selection may be submitted for ratification or rejection at the annual meeting of stockholders; and that the employment of such independent auditors be conditioned on the right of the Company, by vote of the holders of a majority of its outstanding voting securities, to terminate such employment at any time without penalty. In accordance with such provisions, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 250 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland, independent auditors, which firm was the Company’s principal auditor during the year 2003, has been selected as independent auditors of the Company to audit the books and accounts of the Company for or during the year ending December 31, 2004, by the Audit Committee, which selection has been ratified by a majority of those members of the Board of Directors who were not “interested persons” of the Company, voting in person, and their selection is submitted to the stockholders for ratification by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes cast at the meeting. Representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are expected to be present at the meeting to make a statement if they

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so desire and to respond to appropriate questions. The Company has been informed that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP does not have any direct financial or any material indirect financial interest in the Company.

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

(3) OTHER MATTERS AND ANNUAL REPORT

As of the date of this proxy statement, management knows of no other business that will come before the meeting. Should other business be properly brought up, it is intended that proxies in the accompanying form will be voted thereon in accordance with the judgment of the person or persons voting such proxies.

The Annual Report of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2003, including financial statements, is being mailed with this Proxy Statement to all stockholders entitled to notice of and and to vote at the annual meeting to be held on March 30, 2004. A copy of the Company’s Annual Report will be furnished to stockholders, without charge, upon request. You may request a copy by telephoning Lawrence L. Hooper, Jr., Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, at (800) 638-2479 or by sending Mr. Hooper an e-mail message at contact@adamsexpress.com.

The Company has retained The Altman Group Inc. (”Altman”) to assist in the solicitation of proxies. The Company will pay Altman a fee for its services not to exceed $3,000 and will reimburse Altman for its expenses, which the Company estimates will not exceed $1,500.

Stockholder Proposals or Nominations for 2005 Annual Meeting

Stockholder proposals for inclusion in the proxy statement and form of proxy relating to the 2005 Annual Meeting must be received at the office of the Company, Seven St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, no later than October 23, 2004.

In addition, for stockholder proposals or director nominations that a stockholder seeks to bring before the 2005 Annual Meeting but does not seek to have included in the Company’s proxy statement and form of proxy for that meeting, the following requirements apply. Pursuant to the Company’s By-laws, in order for stockholder proposals or nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before the 2005 Annual Meeting, any such stockholder proposal or nomination (including in the case of a nomination, the information required by the Company’s advance notice By-laws provisions) must be received at the office of the Company no earlier than December 29, 2004 and no later than January 28, 2005. The Company’s advance notice By-law requirements are separate from, and in addition to, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s requirements (including the timing requirements described in the preceding paragraph) that a stockholder must meet in order to have a stockholder proposal included in the proxy statement. Should the Company determine to allow a stockholder proposal that is received by the Company after January 28, 2005 to be presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting nevertheless, the persons named as proxies in the accompanying form will have discretionary voting authority with respect to such stockholder proposal.

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Exhibit A

THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER

1.    in its oversight of the Company’s accounting and financial reporting principles and policies and internal audit controls and procedures;

2.    in its oversight of the Company’s financial statements and the integrity and independent audit thereof;

3.    in its oversight of the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; and

4.    in evaluating the qualifications and independence of the outside auditors.

The function of the Audit Committee is oversight. The management of the Company is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements. Management is responsible for maintaining appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles and policies and internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. The outside auditors are responsible for planning and carrying out a proper audit and reviews, including reviews of the Company’s quarterly financial statements prior to the filing of each quarterly report, and other procedures. In fulfilling their responsibilities hereunder, it is recognized that members of the Audit Committee are not full-time employees of the Company and are not, and do not represent themselves to be actively engaged in the practice of auditing or accounting, or experts in the fields of accounting or auditing, notwithstanding that one or more of the members of the Audit Committee may be determined by the Board of Directors to be “audit committee financial experts” as such term is defined in applicable federal statutes and regulations, with all of the disclaimers concerning such determination that are contained in said federal statutes and regulations. As such, it is not the duty or responsibility of the Audit Committee or its members to conduct “field work” or other types of auditing or accounting reviews or procedures, and each member of the Audit Committee shall be entitled to rely on (i) the integrity of those persons and organizations within and outside the Company from which it receives information and (ii) the accuracy of the financial and other information provided to the Audit Committee by such persons or organizations absent actual knowledge to the contrary.

A-1

The outside auditors for the Company are ultimately accountable to the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee. The outside auditors shall submit to the Company annually a formal written statement delineating all relationships between the outside auditors and the Company (“Statement as to Independence”), addressing at least the matters set forth in Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1.

1.    with respect to the outside auditor:

A-2

2.    with respect to financial reporting principles and policies and internal audit controls and procedures:

A-3

A-4

3.    with respect to reporting and recommendations:

A-5

[LOGO]

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF

THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY

March 30, 2004

Please date, sign and mail

your proxy card in the

envelope provided as soon

as possible.

¯  Please detach along perforated line and mail in the envelope provided.  ¯

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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS VOTES FOR: PROPOSALS (1) and (2).

PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.

PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN HERE x

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THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY—PROXY FOR 2004 ANNUAL MEETING

SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The undersigned hereby appoints THOMAS H. LENAGH, W. D. MacCALLAN and LANDON PETERS, the proxies, and each of them (with power to act without the others and with power of substitution) the proxy of the undersigned, for and in the name of the undersigned, to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of The Adams Express Company to be held at The Center Club, 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, on the 30th day of March 2004 at 9:30 a.m. and at any adjournment thereof, the shares of stock which the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present.

The undersigned hereby ratifying all action of said proxies, or any of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute by virtue hereof; and hereby revoking any authorization to vote such shares heretofore given by the undersigned to anyone. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders dated February 13, 2004, and the Proxy Statement furnished therewith.

If the undersigned fails to specify herein how such shares are to be voted on said proposals (1) and (2), they shall be voted “FOR” proposals (1) and (2).

(over)

THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY

[LOGO]

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF

THE ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY

March 30, 2004

PROXY VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

¯  Please detach along perforated line and mail in the envelope provided IF you are not voting via telephone or the Internet.  ¯

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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS VOTES FOR: PROPOSALS (1) and (2).

PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.

PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN HERE x

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