Machineguns in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878

[Morar Andrei]

Recently, I was reading in the latest issue of Historia Special magazine about Romanian armament used in the 1877-78 war of independence. My surprise has been that in the artillery section, the following idea was mentioned: Romania made use of machineguns. The following extract is from the article, translated to English:
 

Quote

Machine-guns and cannons
Surprisingly or not, during the War of Independence, the Romanian Army had machine-guns in use. These were of two types, either Cristopher-Montigny, model 1872, caliber 11mm, with 37mm, triggered successively and fed through a magazine plate, or Gatling, with 6 or 10 barrels caliber 12.7 or 10.57mm. The Cristopher-Montigny machine-gun was used in campaign by the 2nd Vânători (Chasseur) Battalion. The other machine-guns were distributed to the Vânători battalions but it is not known if they were used in combat.

 

And now, here comes my question: how did the Romanian army get their hands on such weapons at the time? The principality was still formally an Ottoman vassal, and getting new guns seems to have been difficult give that the nation did not have yet a proper Black Sea port. Searching online for any reference in regards to this topic, I could not find anything outside the Historia article. As far as I am aware, information used in that article might be coming from "Armata Romana in Razboiul de Independenta" by Cornel I. Scafes, Horia Vl. Serbanescu. 

Besides, the common narrative for the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 is that the Ottomans had the superior guns, their troops being armed with breech-loading Krupp guns and Martini Henry and Winchester lever action rifles, while the Romanians and Russians were relying on things like the Dreyse needle gun, M1867 Krnka and Peabody rifles.