cannel coal

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A highly bituminous coal, very compact, and burning readily with a bright flame. It is not so distinctly stratified as ordinary bituminous coal, but breaks into more or less regularly formed cubical fragments. The term is said to be applied to coals of this kind because they burn like a candle. See coal. Also written canal-coal, kennel-coal.

Wiktionary

1. n. A kind of mineral coal of a black colour, sufficiently hard and solid to be cut and polished, and formerly burned as a substitute for candles.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. A kind of mineral coal of a black color, sufficiently hard and solid to be cut and polished. It burns readily, with a clear, yellow flame, and on this account has been used as a substitute for candles.
2. n. a very compact bituminous coal, of fine texture and dull luster. See Cannel coal.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a bituminous coal that burns with a luminous flame