157 



This substance is thus spoken of by Marbodeus*: 



Nascitur in Lycia lapis, et pvope gemma gagates, 

 Sed genus eximium foecunda Britannia mittit, 

 Lucidus et niger est, et levissimus idem, 

 Vicinas paleastrahit attritu calefactus, 

 Ardetaqua lotus, restiiiguiturunctus olivo, 



It is frequently found, as. was known to Solinus, in various parts , 

 of this kingdom. It is very abundant in the neighbourhood of 

 Liege, and particularly so in, a celebrated mountain of coal, in 

 Misena, not far from the city of Zuicca. It is also found in various 

 parts of Spain, France, and Germany, and indeed in almost every 

 part of the known world. 



It is most frequently found in the neighbourhood of coal mines, 

 and in detached pieces, on the sea shores, in various subterranean 

 situations, and frequently in strata which are evidently alluvial. I 

 have found it in the blue tile clay, beneath, the gravel, at the depth 

 of twenty feet, in the gravelr-pits near Hackney ; in pieces about 

 one or two inches square, having pyrites adhering to them, and 

 bearing on one side of them the striated structure of wood. , 



CANNEL COAL seems to be the bituminous substance next in 

 purity to jet. It is a black, opaque, compacjt, and brittle sub- 

 stance : it breaks with a copcfroidal fracture. Its specific gravity 

 varies from 1.232 to 1.426. It does not soil the fingers. It kindles 

 very easily, and burns with a bright white flanie, like that of a v 

 candle, leaving an earthy residuum, and not caking into a cinder. 



By the analysis of Mr. Kirwan, its composition is 75-2Q of 

 charcoal^ 21.618 of bitumen, and 3.10 of aluminous and silicious 

 earths. 



Like jet it possesses tha,t, compactness of structure which renders 

 it susceptible of polish, and capable of being wrought into trinkets 

 of various, forms. The chief differences between jet and Cannel 



* Dactylotheca Marbodei Galli : cum Scheliis Gforgii Pictoris. Basileae, 1531, 



