Every railway company shall convey by any train all such mails as may be tendered for conveyance by such train, whether such mails be under the charge of a guard appointed by the Postmaster General or not, and notwithstanding that no notice in writing requiring mails to be conveyed by such train has been given to the company by the Postmaster General.
Every railway company shall afford all reasonable facilities for the receipt and delivery of mails at any of their stations without requiring them to be booked or interposing any other delay.
Where the mails are in charge of a guard appointed by the Postmaster General, every railway company shall permit such guard, if he think fit, to receive and deliver them at any station by himself or his assistants, rendering him nevertheless such aid as he may require.
Every railway company shall be entitled to reasonable remuneration for any services performed by them in pursuance of this Act with respect to the conveyance of mails, and such remuneration shall be paid by the Postmaster General.
Any difference between the Postmaster General and any railway company as to the amount of such remuneration, or as to any other question arising under this Act, shall be decided by arbitration, in manner provided by the Act of the session of the first and second years of the reign of Her present Majesty, chapter ninety-eight, or, at the option of such railway company, by the Commissioners.
Where a railway company use, maintain, or work, or are party to any arrangement for using, maintaining, or working steam vessels for the purpose of carrying on a communication between any towns or ports, all provisions contained in any Act with respect to the conveyance of mails by railways shall, so far as they are applicable to the conveyance of mails by steam vessels, extend to the steam vessels so used, maintained, or worked,