to be drawn laterally inward compressing between the two members the central portion of jacket 14 which encloses signal conductor 10 this compression can distort the structure of signal conductor 10 as well as reduce the flexibility of jacket 14 in its vicinity rendering signal conductor 10 additionally susceptible to compression damage where transverse bending of the cable exits a significant purpose of this invention is directed toward overcoming these difficulties pliable jacket 14 while being a means for fixing the transverse relationship of signal conductor 10 with stress bearing members 24 25 additionally serves as a means for permitting the independent longitudinal movement of stress bearing members 24 25 relative to jacket 14 thereby allowing the incorporation of stress bearing members 24 25 into the cable structure so that their rigidity can contribute to the protection of signal conductor 10 without making cable routing difficult to accomplish or dangerous to signal conductor 10 fig2 a 2b and 2c illustrate how this capacity for independent longitudinal movement in stress bearing members 23 24 eliminates cable routing difficulties in fig2 a a top view of the preferred embodiment of fig1 is shown in which signal conductor 10 and stress relief members 24 25 extend a small distance beyond the end of jacket 14 in fig2 b the same segment of the cable as depicted in fig2 a has been bent toward tapering edge 17 this bending compresses the transverse half of jacket 14 containing solid portion 23 while it stetches the other transverse half of jacket 14 which includes solid portion 22 being free to move longitudinally within jacket 14 stress bearing members 24 25 are.