Cannel Coal. »39 



Cannel Coal. 



The only places as yet known in this country where this interest- 

 ing species of bituminous coal is found, are in the vicinity of Cam- 

 bridge, Guernsey County, Ohio, on the waters of Will's creek ; 

 the first notice of which was given by the Hon. B. Tappan in 

 Vol. XVIII, of the American Journal of Science. It will probably 

 be found in some other places in that region, as I have picked up 

 considerable masses of it on the shores of the Muskingum, brought 

 down by the current from the streams above. It is found in a dis- 

 trict abounding with limestone, which possibly may have had some 

 influence in impressing its peculiar characters. 



The composition of this coal, by analysis, does not materially dif- 

 fer from the common black slaty coal of the country. It contains 

 rather more bituminous, and less carbonaceous matter. Its specific 

 gravity is 1.41, while a large share of the common coal does not ex- 

 ceed 1.30. In deflagrating it with the nitrate of potash, thirty 

 grains of this coal decomposes one hundred of the nitre, which will 

 give about forty per cent, of charcoal. By carefully examining the 

 appearance and structure of the coal, I am induced to suppose that 

 it has been subjected to a degree of heat sufficient to melt and agglu- 

 tinate it into a compact mass, after it was deposited in its present 

 bed, and that it was originally a deposit of common slaty coal. The 

 outer surface of many pieces, has marks and lines impressed on it, as 

 if made by the superincumbent slate, while it was soft or fluid. Its 

 fracture is vitreous and conchoidal like that of a mineral which has 

 been in a fused state. The following description of the cannel coal 

 deposit was kindly furnished by Judge Tappan, and taken by his 

 son. " This bed of coal is situated about five hundred yards north 

 of Grummon's tavern, five miles west of Cambridge ; the country 

 about it is rolling, the hills rising generally to the height of one hun- 

 dred and fifty feet, with broad valleys between. The coal is found 

 about sixty feet below the summit of one of these hills, near a small 

 run. The bed of coal is twenty one inches thick, of a somewhat 

 slaty structure in its lower part, and rests on and is covered by bitu- 

 minous shale, which gradually passes into common shale above. 

 Below it has been examined only to the depth of a few inches ; the 

 water of the run having prevented a more extensive search in that 

 direction. I did not see any vegetable impressions in the coal, or in 

 the shale, nor was any limestone visible, although I was informed that 



