The Francis Wright was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1881. The case involved a dispute between the owners of the steamship Francis Wright and the owners of the schooner Mary E. Smith. The Francis Wright had collided with the Mary E. Smith, causing damage to the schooner. The owners of the Mary E. Smith sued the owners of the Francis Wright for damages. The Supreme Court held that the owners of the Francis Wright were liable for the damages caused by the collision. The Court found that the Francis Wright had been negligent in its navigation and that the owners of the Mary E. Smith were entitled to recover damages for the collision. The Court also held that the owners of the Francis Wright were liable for the costs of repairing the Mary E. Smith. The Court's decision in this case established the principle that a vessel is liable for damages caused by its negligence. This principle has been applied in numerous cases since then and is still the law today. The Francis Wright case is an important precedent in maritime law and is still cited in cases involving collisions and other maritime disputes.

In the case of The Francis Wright, Justice Field delivered a dissenting opinion. He argued that the majority's decision was wrong because it failed to consider whether or not Congress had intended for the vessel in question to be treated as an American ship when it passed through foreign waters. According to Justice Field, if Congress had intended for this vessel to be considered an American ship while abroad then its owners would have been entitled to protection from foreign governments and their laws. Furthermore, he argued that even if Congress did not intend for this particular vessel to receive such protection, there were still other vessels which could potentially benefit from similar protections under international law. In conclusion, Justice Field believed that the majority's ruling was too narrow and should have taken into account all potential scenarios before making a final determination on the matter at hand.