Electric cable construction and uses therefor

Electric cable comprising at least one cable conductor, at least one metallic shield, at least one semiconducting polymer layer surrounding said cable conductor, and a semiconducting moistureproofing layer in the form of a hydrophobic gel interposed between said metallic shield and said semiconducting polymer layer, both said layers having a resistivity of from under 10 to 100,000 ohm-cm, said semiconducting moistureprofing layer having a dynamic viscosity of less than 100,000 centipoises at 20.degree. C. and between 50,000 and 100,000 at 100.degree. C., said semiconducting moistureproofing layer containing at least 50 to 95 percent by weight of at least one hydrocarbon compound selected from the group consisting of paraffin and naphtha of petroleum, vegetable and synthetic origin, and said semiconducting moistureproofing layer containing at least 5 to 50 percent by weight of conductive charge selected from the group consisting of zinc, copper, aluminum, oxides thereof, carbon black and graphite.