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 CALHOUN AS SECRETARY OF WAR 311 Illinois river to Lake Michigan completed the system of com- munication. The cost of building these roads was to be reduced by employing part of the army and paying them slightly higher wages than they ordinarily received. 37 Congress went so far as to appoint a committee in December, 1819, to consider the building of roads and canals, but it was discharged before any- thing was accomplished. 88 In its economical mood toward military appropriations, the House considered the advisability in Jan- CONGRESSIONAL uary, 1820, of stopping the construction OPPOSITION TO of all forts. 30 It also asked Calhoun for BUILDING OF a statement of the money that was being FORTS used for this purpose, and the progress which had been made on the different fortifications. 40 This time he gave the report of one of his chief engineers, who had special charge of such works. REPORT ON He had had the northern, southern and FORTIFICATIONS eastern coasts inspected and had planned a system of forts, such that each fort was connected with the next in a continuous chain of defense. They were all to fulfill some of the following conditions i* 1 1. Close some important harbor to the enemy. 2. Deprive the enemy of strong positions where he could get a foothold in the United States. 3. To protect the cities from attack. 4. To protect avenues of internal trade. 5. Cover coast trade. 6. Cover great naval establishments. The whole system was to cost a little more than one million dollars, and even then, the forts were not all to be built at once, but were divided into three classes, according to the nation's need for them. A committee was appointed on December 8, 37 Annals of Congress, isth Cong., 2nd Sess., IV, 2443. 38 Annals of Congress, i6th Cong., ist Sess., 708. Ibid, II, 3241. 39 Ibid, I, 891. 40 Annals of Congress, i6th Cong., ist Sess., II, 1594. 41 Annals of Congress, i6th Cong., 2nd Sess., Appendix, 1731, Feb. 7, 1821.