Титаник

           Ofthethreehundredoddfirst-classpassengersthemajoritywereAmericans­richandprosperouspeople,engagedforthemostpartinthesimpleoccupationofbuyingthingsascheaplyaspossible,sellingthemasdearlyaspossible,andtryingtofindsomeagreeablewayofspendingthedifferenceonthemselves.Ofthethreehundredoddsecond-classpassengersprobablythemajoritywereEnglish,manyofthemoftheminorprofessionalclassesandmanygoingeithertovisitfriendsortotakeupsituationsinthewesternworld.ButthethousandoddsteeragepassengersrepresentedakindofBabelofnationalities,alltheworldinlittle,unitedbynothingexceptpovertyandthefactthattheywereinatransitionstageoftheirexistence,leavingbehindthemforthemostpartalifeoffailureandhopelessness,andlookingforwardtoanewlifeofsuccessandhope:Jews,Christians,andMohammedans,missionariesandheathen,Russians,Poles,Greeks,Roumanians,Germans,Italians,Chinese,Finns,Spaniards,English,andFrench­withastrongcontingentofIrish,theinevitablelinkinthatmelancholychainofemigrationthathasunitedIrelandandAmericasincetheFamine.Buttherewereotherdifferences,besidesthoseoftheirconditionandgeographicaldistributionontheship,thatdivideditsinhabitants.