The following spring, the gunboat visited Siam to investigate complaints that arbitrary action by the American consul at Bangkok had prevented the timely shipment to Philadelphia of the Siamese exhibit that had been prepared by order of the young Thai monarch Rama IV for display at the United States Centennial Exposition. She reached Bangkok on 23 April 1876, and Matthews spent more than a fortnight there dividing his time between the exchange of diplomatic courtesies and questioning people—both American and Siamese about the situation. "Ashuelot" sailed for Cochin, China, on 9 May and reached Saigon four days later. There, Matthews reported that the high-handed American diplomat had been far from diplomatic. He then returned to Bangkok, took the exhibit on board, and carried it via Saigon to Hong Kong where it was transferred to a merchantman which took it on to the United States.