giving up Pitt's drastic Income Tax, which had not brought in the
expected L10,000,000 but a net sum of L6,000,000, he raised the Assessed
Taxes by one third, increased Import and Export duties with impartial
rigour, and yet proposed to raise L5,000,000 by Exchequer Bills, which
were to be funded at the end of the Session or paid off by a loan. This
signal failure to meet the year's expenses within the year exasperated
Pitt. At Christmas, which he spent with Rose at his seat in the New
Forest, he often conversed on this topic; and his host thus summed up
his own conclusions in a letter to Bishop Tomline:

Cuffnells, _December 24, 1802_.[646]

... There is hardly a part of the Budget that is not too
stupidly wrong even for the doctor's dullness and ignorance. I
am sure Mr. Pitt must concur with me; and I have all the
materials for him.--Wrong about the increase of the revenue;
wrong as to the produce of the Consolidated Fund; scandalously
wrong as to what is to be expected from it in future by at least
L2,800,000 a year; wrong as to the money he will want this year
by millions....

During his stay at Cuffnells Pitt received a letter from Addington
urging the need of an interview. Viewing the request as a sign of
distress with which he must in honour comply, Pitt agreed to stay a few
days early in January 1803 at the White Lodge in Richmond Park, which
the King had for the time assigned to his favoured Minister. Addington
described him as looking far from well, though his strength had improved
and his spirits and appetite were good.[647] Apparently Pitt found the
instruction of his host in finance a subject as dreary as the winter
landscape. He afterwards told Rose that Addington mooted his entrance to
the Cabinet awkwardly during their farewell drive to town. But this does
not tally with another account, which is that Pitt, on the plea of
winding up the transfer of Holwood, suddenly left the White Lodge on 6th
January. On the 11th he wrote from Camden's seat, The Wilderness, in
Kent, that his views on foreign affairs were nearly in accord with those
of the Cabinet, but that he failed to convince Addington of his
financial error.

This, then, was still the rock of offence. Nevertheless, Pitt begged
Rose not to attack the Cabinet on that topic, as it would embarrass him.
If it were necessary on public grounds to set right the error, he (Pitt)
would do so hims