The Lady Pike was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1877. The case involved a dispute between the owners of a schooner, the Lady Pike, and the owners of a steamboat, the City of New York. The owners of the Lady Pike had sued the owners of the City of New York for damages caused by a collision between the two vessels. The Supreme Court held that the owners of the Lady Pike were entitled to damages for the collision. The Court found that the owners of the City of New York had been negligent in the operation of their vessel, and that this negligence had caused the collision. The Court also held that the owners of the Lady Pike had acted reasonably in attempting to avoid the collision, and that they were therefore entitled to damages. The Court also held that the damages awarded to the owners of the Lady Pike should be based on the value of the Lady Pike at the time of the collision, rather than the value of the vessel at the time of the trial. This was because the Court found that the value of the Lady Pike had been diminished by the collision, and that the owners of the Lady Pike should not be required to bear the full cost of the damages caused by the collision. In conclusion, the Supreme Court held that the owners of the Lady Pike were entitled to damages for the collision, and that the damages should be based on the value of the Lady Pike at the time of the collision.

In The Lady Pike, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a vessel that had been damaged by an act of God could be considered unseaworthy. The majority opinion held that it could not, as the damage was beyond human control and therefore did not constitute negligence on behalf of the ship's owners or crew. However, in his dissenting opinion Justice Miller argued that vessels should always be seaworthy regardless of any external forces acting upon them. He reasoned that since ships are inherently dangerous due to their size and power they must always remain fit for navigation so as to protect those who use them from potential harm. Furthermore, he noted that if a vessel is found unfit for service then its owners have failed in their duty to maintain it properly and thus bear some responsibility for any resulting damages or injuries incurred by passengers or crew members aboard such a craft.