Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/168

LEFT CONTI 132 CONTRACT usually placed in quarantine. In the United States the enactment of quaran- tine laws by the several States is pro- vided in the Federal Constitution. In most States there is a State board of health which either divides the State into districts for administration, or else delegates its authority to county, town- ship, or city officials. Before the World War there was a well-established system of international quarantine operating under a code drawn by Sir Shenstone Baker in 1879, which was approved by the United States, Germany, Great Britain, and many other nations. CONTI, HOUSE OF, this younger branch of the princely French house of Conde took its name from the small town of Conti, near Amiens, and sprang from Armand de Bourbon, brother of the "Great Conde"; born in 1629; died in 1666. The most remarkable member of the family was Francois Louis, Prince de la Roche-sur-Yon and Conti, born in 1664. He took a brilliant part in the victories of Steinkirk and Neerwinden, and Massillon pronounced his funeral oration. He died in 1709. The last of the House of Conti was Louis Francois Joseph, born in 1734; died in Spain in 1814. CONTINENT, the large, unbroken tracts of land on the earth, whether al- together or entirely disconnected, are in- cluded under this name. Thus Europe and Asia together, Africa, North Amer- ica, South America, and Australia, may nil be thus regarded. The word is also applied to the mainland of Europe, as distinguished from the British Islands. CONTINENT, THE DARK. See Africa. CONTINENTAL, pertaining or relat- ing to a continent; as a continental sys- tem. Belonging or relating to the main- land of Europe, in contradistinction to the islands belonging thereto, more es- pecially Great Britain; as, a continental tour. Relating, or pertaining to, the American colonies confederated during the Revolutionary War; as, the Conti- nental Congress. CONTORTED STRATA, in geology, beds which are highly folded, plicated, twisted — the folds being extremely ir- regular, and giving rise to rapid changes in the direction and angle of inclination. Contorted strata are frequently ci'um- pled and puckered — the fossils and peb- bles which they may chance to contain being compressed, flattened, and dis- torted — facts which show that the beds have been subjected to great crushing and squeezing. CONTRABAND OF WAR, articles carried by neutrals in vessels or other- wise for the assistance of an enemy in waging war. The term embraces arms, ammunition, materials for manufactur- ing gunpowder, armed vessels, coal for warships, provisions and money in- tended for the military forces, and all supplies of warlike stores or any articles required for the prosecution of the war. Articles which are not ordinarily contra- band are also liable to confiscation if they belong to the owner of the contra- band and are mingled with the same in the same vehicle of conveyance or in the same packages. Where a blockade of a port is declared and successfully main- tained, all articles of value become prac- tically contraband in that they are liable to seizure and confiscation if the attempt is made to carry them into the blockaded port. According to international law, these are liable to seizure and to confis- cation by order of a prize court. No recompense is made to the neutral ex- cept in the case of provisions. During the World War all the mari- time powers declared contraband or conditionally contraband provisions and goods too numerous to mention. The sinking of the "W. B. Frye," laden vdth grain for London, called forth a protest from the United States Government, and Germany promised compensation. When Germany declared a submarine warfare on commerce, all previous laws relating to contraband were disregarded. CONTRACT, the term usually applied to such agreements (whether express or implied) as create, or are intended to create, a legal right, and correspond- ing liability; such right not attach- ing to the possession of the subject- matter of the contract, except in equity, and that indirectly, but subsisting both in equity and law against the contract- ing party. The conditions essential to the legal validity of a contract relate either to the competency of the parties, the sufficiency of the consideration or inducement, the nature of the thing contracted for, the fairness of the trans- action, or, lastly, to the form of agree- ment. First, as to the competency of the parties : The party to be sued must have been at the time of the contract of sound mind, and, unless it was for the supply of necessaries, of full age; and if a woman, she must have been unmar- ried, subject as to the latter condition to some exceptions established either by local custom or by the doctrines of equity. As to the sufficiency of the con- sideration on the part of the person suing: It must have been either future marriage since performed, or money, or