The S. S. Osborne was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1881. The case involved a dispute between the owners of the S. S. Osborne, a steamship, and the United States government. The government had seized the ship for alleged violations of the Navigation Laws of the United States. The owners of the ship argued that the seizure was unlawful and that the government had no right to take possession of the vessel. The Supreme Court held that the government had the right to seize the vessel under the Navigation Laws. The Court found that the government had the authority to take possession of the vessel in order to enforce the laws of the United States. The Court also held that the government had the right to impose fines and other penalties on the owners of the vessel for any violations of the Navigation Laws. The Court's decision in this case established the principle that the government has the right to take possession of vessels in order to enforce the laws of the United States. This principle has been applied in numerous cases since then, and it is still an important part of the law today.

In the case of The S.S. Osborne, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a ship owner could be held liable for damages caused by an explosion on board their vessel due to negligence in maintaining it. Justice Field delivered a dissenting opinion, arguing that while there may have been some degree of negligence involved in this incident, it did not rise to the level necessary to hold the shipowner responsible for any resulting damage or injury. He argued that under maritime law and precedent established by prior cases, only gross negligence would justify such liability; as no evidence had been presented showing this level of carelessness on behalf of the defendant, he believed they should not be found liable for any harm caused by their actions or inaction.