sentences:  The Essex Institute Historical Collections provide a very detailed description of "Great Republic" in Volume LXIII, published in 1927.On December 26, 1853 a fire broke out in the buildings of the Novelty Baking Company on Front Street near the piers where "Great Republic" and several other wooden merchant vessels were moored.The fire quickly spread to the packet ship "Joseph Walker", and to the clippers "White Squall", "Whirlwind", and "Red Rover", with sparks from the fire showering onto the deck of the "Great Republic", whose crew was mustered shortly after midnight to unsuccessfully dowse the sails.