This is interesting to think about. I wonder who applied to Sir Walter, and how it would've been done. Would Lady Russell have gone with Anne to present the idea? I might be asking silly things, but was the Captain present? It seemed to me that Anne broke it off with him privately, that was the impression I got from the text. This could be wrong.

I also wonder if Anne considered herself engaged before any application was made. Would she have agreed to become engaged to the Captain first? I am also wondering why the engagement had to cease with no negotiation, say pending the Captain's financial progress.